Official Launch of the Second Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Clinic at Mwananyamala Regional Hospital in Dar es Salaam

U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania, Alfonso E. Lenhardt, (left), and Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Hon. Dr. Hussein Mwinyi, (right), cutting a ribbon to mark the formal launch of the second Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Clinic at Mwananyamala Regional Hospital, Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam recently. The medication stops withdrawal symptoms while simultaneously reduces drug cravings so that people can return to stable, productive lives. This therapy reduces the risky behaviors associated with injection drug use and helps prevent HIV transmission while improving adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for individuals living with HIV.

The MAT clinic launch at Mwananyamala Regional Hospital is significant because it is the second of only two facilities in continental sub-Saharan African to provide methadone services for people who inject drugs. This is made possible with the support of the American People, through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania.

The United States of America is a global leader in combating HIV/AIDS worldwide through PEPFAR. This 10-year program is the largest initiative in history to combat a single disease. Since 2004, the American people have provided over $1.8 billion to combat HIV/AIDS throughout Tanzania. The United States will continue to work closely with the United Republic of Tanzania to strengthen the health of its citizens and to fulfill the common vision of a “Tanzania free of HIV.”