Afya

HEALTH SECTOR

A combination of government and privately owned health facilities provide a relatively good system of health services in Lushoto district. There is a District hospital, 5 Health Centers of which 4 are owned by the government and 1 by Faith Based Organization and 45 dispensaries, 33 are owned by the government, 8 by Faith Based Organization, 3 by parastal and 1 is privately owned. All health facilities offer both curative and preventive services to the community, with an average of 8,316 people per health facility. About 85% of the total population has access to a health facility within a distance of 5km, 10% between 5 – 10km and the remaining 5% more than 10km.

The ten major diseases that are prevalent in the district are Malaria, Pneumonia, Anemia, Diarrhea, Acute Respiratory Infection, Worm Infection, HIV/AIDS, Eye Diseases, Urinary Tract Infection and Heart Diseases.

2.9.1: HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS is among the top ten diseases in the District. The state of Transmission in the District is now 1.8% (TACAIDS, 2012)

The spread of diseases is associated by the cultural influence such as inheritance of women, traditional dances and social interaction due to commercial activities (in major urban centers of Lushoto, Mlalo, Mtae, Umba and Mlola.

Furthermore other factors accelerating the transmission of HIV in the district are poverty and high level of unemployment as well as lack of family ties(whereby men are working in distant areas in other cities and coming back to the family once a year on some occasions) 

Community education on behavior change, counseling services, assistance offered to HIV/AIDS patients and preventive measures like distribution of condoms are among steps undertaken by the District to combat the spread of HIV/AIDs spread