NEWSLETTER

1st EDITION, 30th AUGUST, 2022

Aga Khan Health Service,

Tanzania
 MESSAGE FROM THE PROJECT DIRECTOR

Sisawo Konteh
Chief Executive Officer
Aga Khan Health Service, Tanzania

Our Esteemed readers,

On behalf of the Tanzania Comprehensive Cancer Project (TCCP) Steering Committee, I am very excited to share with
you our first issue of the TCCP Newsletter for 2022.

With the global rise in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases, cancer is becoming an increasingly important
public health concern in Tanzania. This requires serious investment in strengthening the quality of each component of
the cancer care continuum from prevention, screening, and early detection, diagnosis, treatment, palliative care and
survivorship in Tanzania.

To address these challenges and complement Government efforts, we are implementing an innovative public-private
collaborative project, the Tanzania Comprehensive Cancer Project (TCCP), that is aiming at strengthening and expand-
ing the quality, access, and capacity of cancer care services. TCCP is a 13.3 million Euro, four-year project funded by
Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) implemented in the 5 districts of Dar es
Salaam and 8 districts of Mwanza. The project collaborators are Aga Khan Health Service, Tanzania (AKHST), Ocean
Road Cancer Institute (ORCI), Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) and Bugando Medical Centre (BMC) under the
stewardship of the Ministry of Health (MoH) and President’s Office-Regional Administration and Local Government
(PO-RALG) with technical support of Institut Curie.

This is one of a kind high-quality, evidence-based comprehensive initiative in Africa led by AKHST; aimed at reducing
the burden of cancer morbidity and mortality in two target regions (Dar es Salaam and Mwanza). The expects to
directly impact 1.7 million people.

We sincerely appreciate your interest to read through and catchup with TCCP key milestones and updates from various
innovative interventions. In this newsletter you will find key project events, photo gallery and highlights from several
partnership.

As we deliver on our mission, we are grateful for supporters like you whose generosity makes it all possible. I hope you
will continue to embrace and support our important work.

Thank You!.

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PROJECT LAUNCH

CHANGING LIVES AND BEATING CANCER - THE LAUNCH OF THE TANZA-

NIA COMPREHENSIVE CANCER PROJECT AND INAUGURATION OF THE
1ST 3D MAMMOGRAPHY MACHINE IN THE LAKE ZONE

On Friday 11th March 2022, at Bugando Medical Centre (BMC), in

Mwanza region, government officials, development partners, health-
care stakeholders, and dignitaries collaboratively attended the launch
ceremony of The Tanzania Comprehensive Cancer Project (TCCP) and
inauguration of the 1st 3D Mammography machine in the Lake Zone.
The event was accompanied by community events that involved a
community walk to 'Beat Cancer,’ a round table discussion, and a cancer
screening event at The Aga Khan Hospital, Mwanza.

Inauguration of the Mammograph Machine by Dr. Ntuli

Kapologwe, Director of Health, Social Welfare and Nutrition
from PO-RALG during the project launch at BCM Mwanza.

The project is working with 3 tertiary hospitals, 100 public health

facilities in Dar es Salaam and Mwanza, together with Aga Khan
Medical Centre, Mwanza. Over 330 healthcare workers have been
trained in cervical and breast cancer screening, palliative care and
cancer registry. TCCP has donated and installed Digital Untrasound
Machine worthy 115million TZS at Ocean Road Cancer Institute and
3D Mammography Machine worthy 880million TZS at Bugando
Medical Centre. The project applies community engagement
approach by involving over 400 community health care workers, and
The Guest of Honor - Dr. Ntuli Kapologwe from PO-RALG (with white tshirt
raising awareness by developing and distributing over 3,000 cancer in the middle) and other Invited guest during the project launch event at
education books and 5,000 Information, Communications and Educa- BMC in Mwanza.
tion (ICE) materials.

Addressing the social and financial commitments in this Public- Private Partnership (PPP) project Mrs. Stéphanie MOUEN, Country
Director Agence Française de Développement (AFD) in Tanzania said “The contribution to the maintenance and the commissioning
of public equipment through capacity building initiatives between Aga Khan biomedical engineers, maintenance contractors, and
public facility partners are the desired impacts expected to be delivered. This new state-of-the-art mammography machine at BMC
is the first of its kind in the lake zone, and is expected to cater to a population of almost 12 million people in screening women and
addressing breast cancer at a very early stage”.

The joint commitment of stakeholders to transform cancer treatment through an unprecedented cooperation agreement address-
es the precarious situation of cancer in Tanzania in terms of prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment and survivorship. With
only seven radiotherapy devices and six tumour diagnostic laboratories, Tanzania remains under equipped to treat cancer compre-
hensively.

The ripple effect of TCCP has informed local government and institutions to seize efforts in strengthening cancer service delivery
by complementing to the national cancer plan i.e, In Mwanza, Bugando Medical Centre is constructing a new cancer care clinic.
The Aga Khan Hospital in Dar es Salaam is now constructing a state-of-the-art two-story cancer care centre that is expected to lift
ground from 2024 to access and utilize cancer service delivery.

AKHS, T CEO, Sisawo Konteh said "TCCP will expand, improve and rejuvenate the quality of cancer care in the cancer treatment
hospitals in both the public and private sector. We can raise awareness at grassroots levels through comprehensive Community
Engagement by promoting prevention, screening, early detection and creating a referral system to ensure early treatment".

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CAPACITY BUILDING

Graduation ceremony for leadership course under the Uongozi Institute, 24 leaders were sponsored by TCCP

CANCER PRIMARY PREVENTION CARE

Total number of 4674 girls received Human

Papillomavirus Vaccine in Dar es Salaam
and Mwanza.

PARTNERSHIP & COLLABORATION

Commemoration of the National Cancer Survivors Day at Mwanza and Dar es Salaam in collaboration with Shujaa
Cancer Foundation, Tanzania Breast Cancer Foundation and the Community Centre for Preventive Medicine - CCCP
Medicine.

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STONE LAYING

Foundation Stone Laid for The Cancer Care Centre at Aga Khan Hospi-
tal, Dar es Salaam – Expansion is a milestone achievement for the
Tanzania Comprehensive Cancer Project (TCCP)

On 10th April 2022 – The Aga Khan Hospital, Dar es Salaam laid the
foundation stone for its state-of-the-art Cancer Care Centre, which will
serve as a key hub for the innovative Tanzania Comprehensive Cancer
Project (TCCP) that aim at reducing cancer morbidity and mortality in
the targeted regions of Dar es Salaam and Mwanza. The foundation
stone-laying ceremony marks a significant milestone achievement for
TCCP as it successfully kicks off the expansion of the Aga Khan Hospital,
Dar es Salaam to include a cutting-edge cancer care unit valued at TZS
250 billion, with an expected completion date of March 2024.
Hon. Ummy Mwalimu, Minister for Health together with
Princess Zahra Aga Khan Laying the Foundation Stone for
Cancer Care Centre at AKH,D.
The foundation stone laying ceremony Chief Guest, Minister of Health, Honoura-
ble Ummy Ally Mwalimu and Princess Zahra Aga Khan, Chair of the Executive
Committee of the Aga Khan Health Services, alongside government officials,
diplomatic missions, development partners, healthcare stakeholders and digni-
taries attended the event.

“We know that non-communicable diseases, including cancer, affect us all.

Cancer is a disease that affects people of all ages and genders, children and
adults, women and men. We all know people whose lives have been cut short by
cancer. It also causes significant losses to the Nation because, the disease reduc-
es the workforce and slows down the development of the individual and the
Nation” said Honourable Minister Ummy Ally Mwalimu.

She added that “The construction of this centre has come at an appropriate time
for our country. The Government is committed to actively improve health servic-
es and social development for all Tanzanians, including cancer services.”

Princess Zahra Aga Khan said “Today’s ceremony marks a critical project objec-
tive of enhancing comprehensive cancer care facilities in the country . Statistics
from the United Nations Cancer Research Organization show that there are
42,000 new cancer cases every year in Tanzania, with a high mortality rate of
over 28,000 deaths per year. Almost 75% of the cases are diagnosed at a late
stage. This is a major challenge that affects survival rates.”
“AKHS,T continued growth over nine decades is a strong testimony to our commitment to healthcare development in the country,”
she added. “Today, AKHS facilities are known for their high-level of ethical practices, innovation and provision of quality, safe and
evidence-based care,” added Princess Zahra.

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Patient Expert Master Class training in Mwanza by Gender responsive cancer service delivery training in
expert from Institut Curie Dar es Salaam

CANCER AWARENESS WALK

Cancer awareness walk 6km at Dar es Salaam during

Cancer awareness walk 5.7 km at Mwanza during
comemmoration of the national cancer survivorship
project launch in Mwanza.
day.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INTERVENTIONS

Total number of 22,863 household visits reaching 68,929 (27,926 M/41,003F) Dar es Salaam and Mwanza by Com-
munity Healthcare Workers (CHW) have been conducted.

1,599 cancer health promotion meetings reaching 95,433 (46,979M/48,454F) community members have been
conducted.

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PARTNETSHIP & COLLABORATION

Cancer Stakeholders during project launch

from Ministry of Health, PO-RALG, Dar es
Salaam and Mwanza Regional Medical
Teams, Shujaa Cancer Foundation, Jema
Foundation, Genesis for palliative care
foundation, Tanzania Breast Cancer Foun-
dation & the Community Centre for
Preventive Medicine-CCCP medicine
during project launch.

TCCP in Collaboration with the Ministry of

Health in the review of Palliative care
policy guidelines at Arusha.

TCCP National Consultative Meeting with

Ministry of Health, AKHS,T , AFD and Insti-
tut Curie (IC) Leaders in Dodoma. 3rd from
left is James Kiologwe from the Ministry of
Health, IC represented by Piere (5th from
left), AFD represented by Ms. Anneliese
Coury(4th from right), AKHST represented
by the CEO Sisawo Konteh (3rd from right)

05
NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TRAINING
FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

Nutrition Physical Activity Training by expert from Institut Curie at Serena Hotel, Dar es Salaam. The training was
for cancer survivors and healthcare workers.

Sulaiman Shahabuddin, Former Regional CEO, AKHS, EA (Second Right), Ms. Stephanie Mouen, Former AFD Country
Director hodling aggreements during the TCCP signing ceremony. On the right is Hon. Frederick Clavier, Former
France ambassador to Tanzania and Amin Kurji, AKDN Country Representative

Hon. Nabil Hajlaoui, The France ambassador to Tanza-

nia(Centre) in a joint photo with Institut Curie Experts
during their mission in Tanzania to support TCCP. Others
from Left is Dr. Pierre Anhoury, Lydia Maria Monique
Delriew, Carole Kalogeropoulos and Dr. Timothe Mar-
chal.

@tccp_official