Morogoro, Tanzania – In Tanzania, malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) remain tightly linked to a rapidly changing climate: malaria is still a major public-health burden (with Tanzania among the countries contributing the largest share of global malaria deaths in 2024), even as control efforts continue to scale prevention and case management (World Malaria Report 2025). At the same time, Tanzania has made notable progress on several NTDs through mass drug administration and targeted programming; recent reporting highlights a sharp reduction in people requiring treatment since 2021, including substantial scale-downs for lymphatic filariasis and trachoma, yet sustaining these gains is increasingly challenged by financing and implementation constraints as external support shifts (Uniting to Combat NTDs). Climate change and variability (more frequent droughts, floods, and shifting rainfall/temperature patterns) are already disrupting livelihoods and health services and can change where/when vectors thrive, raising risks for vector-borne and water-related diseases and complicating malaria/NTD elimination timelines, making climate-informed surveillance, resilient primary health care, and locally financed, community-led delivery essential (Tanzania NDC,2021).
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Amplify Health and Development in Africa (AHDA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Prime Minister's Office - Regional Administration and Local Governments (PMO-RALG), convened a Stakeholders Engagement Forum at Edema Hotel Conference, Morogoro to introduce a 12-month project that strengthens community action for malaria elimination and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) such as onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis lymphatic filariasis, and trachoma through integrated, climate-sensitive advocacy.
The project, titled "Youth and Community Health Workers Building Resilient and Healthy Communities in Tanzania," implemented by Amplify Health and Development in Africa (AHDA) with the support of the Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE) through its Falcon Awards for Disease Elimination, will be implemented from January to December 2026 in four councils: Kiteto (Manyara), Mahenge (Morogoro), Nzega TC (Tabora), and Pangani (Tanga). The pilot will build the capacity of 160 youth leaders and Community Health Workers (CHWs) to plan and deliver integrated community dialogues and advocacy campaigns that address malaria, NTDs, and climate-related health risks.
A key feature of the project is a standardised model for community engagement through facilitated community dialogues and a reporting system aligned with government structures. Training will follow a Training-of-Trainers (ToT) approach to ensure quality and consistency. Core training and advocacy materials will be drawn from the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) and the National NTD Control Programme (NTDCP) advocacy units, while climate and health content will be incorporated in consultation with the Ministry department responsible for climate and environmental health.
The pilot will prioritise use of existing CHWs from integrated community health programmes in Nzega TC, Pangani, and Mahenge, while criteria-based selection aligned with national standards will be applied in Kiteto. Implementation will begin with orientation trainings in each council, followed by community engagement activities and continuous follow ups and refresher trainings after six months to reinforce skills and improve performance.
Monitoring, evaluation, and learning will be conducted throughout the project cycle, including baseline and endline assessments, routine monitoring of community engagements, and documentation of community feedback and outcomes. Findings will be shared through a public dissemination event and a publication/learning brief to support replication and scale-up by government and partners.
"This project strengthens community systems by equipping youth and CHWs with practical tools to lead integrated advocacy for malaria and NTD elimination while responding to climate-related health threats. We are committed to working hand-in-hand with government structures to standardise community dialogues, strengthen reporting, and translate community voices into action."
About GLIDE
The Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE) is a global health institute based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates that envisions a world free of eliminable infectious diseases by 2030 and beyond. An affiliate entity of Erth Zayed Philanthropies, GLIDE works across three strategic pillars: operational research, capacity strengthening, and advocacy to advance its mission. The Falcon Awards for Disease Elimination is an awards scheme launched by GLIDE in 2021 that aims to work with partners to go further and faster towards their disease elimination goals.
