WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on outbreak of Marburg virus disease – 20 January 2025


WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on outbreak of Marburg virus disease – 20 January 2025


Your Excellency President Samia Suluhu Hassan, 

Members of the media, dear colleagues and friends, 

Habari Za mchana. Thank you all for coming today. 

First, I would like to thank Her Excellency for her hospitality in inviting me to Tanzania, and for her leadership and commitment in promoting and protecting the health of her citizens. 

We have just held a constructive meeting covering a wide range of areas concerning her government’s work to strengthen its health system and provide the services needed to advance health for all Tanzanians. This is a follow up of our meeting during the G20 in Brazil in November (2024). 

I commended the President for the investments made in emergency preparedness in recent years. I also recognized Tanzania’s successful launch of the Universal Health and Preparedness Review report, which showcases the country’s dedication to health system resilience. 

In addition, I congratulated the President on her commitment to universal health coverage through the enactment of the Universal Health Insurance Act 2023. 

We also discussed the government’s drive to strengthen its health workforce through the launch of the Community Health Workers Program in 2023, an initiative that is helping introduce more graduate health workers into the health sector.