The Directorate of Research, Partnership, and Community Services at SFUCHAS is excited about the opportunity to collaborate with the Ifakara Innovation Hub (IIH) in nurturing the innovative potential of our medical and allied health sciences students at SFUCHAS. Through this partnership, students will benefit from IIH’s dedicated mentorship and support, enabling them to develop practical, impactful innovative solutions in healthcare.
We are currently in the final stages of formalizing this collaboration through MoU. We believe this strategic partnership will play a vital role in shaping the future of healthcare by equipping the next generation of professionals with the skills and mindset to drive innovation. The impact of IIH’s engagement will undoubtedly be seen in the growth and development of our future healthcare leaders.
The Directorate of Research, Partnership, and Community Services at SFUCHAS, had the distinct honor of serving as Secretariate member of the General Organizing Committee and General Overseers across several subcommittees for the 4th SFUCHAS Annual Scientific Conference, held on the 23rd (pre-conference) and 25–26th of June 2025 at Homeland Hall, Ifakara. With the theme: “Strengthening Resilient and Equitable Healthcare Systems for Better Health Outcomes,” This year’s conference served as a national platform for driving forward innovation, research, and policy dialogue in healthcare. We proudly welcomed over 300 participants, including professors, researchers, students, health professionals, policymakers, and innovators from across Tanzania and beyond Key achievement include;
1. Pre-Conference Community Outreach reached 247 Kilombero community members through eye screenings, general consultations, and blood donations. Tremendous thanks to SolidarMed, TTCIH, IHI, SFRRH Ifakara Town Council team for making this outreach a success.
2. Over 53 peer-reviewed abstracts presented (including 4 international).
3. Launch of the Dr. Ntuli Kapologwe Primary Healthcare Award Aspecial award to celebrate inspiring young researchers, innovators, and implementers in primary healthcare. Dr. Ntuli Kapologwe (DG- ECSA-Health Community) was well represented by Anodi Kaihula, General Manager THS Thanks to the creative work of our student-led teams and TAMSA SFUCHAS, we amplified awareness and participation far beyond the venue. Furthermore, we were honored by the presence of:
i. Prof. Daniel Mushi, Deputy Permanent Secretary – Ministry of Education, Science & Technology
ii. Dr. Mugisha Nkorongo, President – Medical Association of Tanzania
iii. Adv. Dunstan Kyobya, District Commissioner – Kilombero.
Our sincere gratitude to the SFUCHAS Management, led by Prof. Albino Kalolo, and to Prof. Nicholas Kavana, for their unwavering leadership and support. A heartfelt thank you to our main co-hosting institutions, SolidarMed, TTCIH, IHI, the SFUCHAS staff and students, and all the Ifakara Cluster Institutions for your commitment and generous contributions that made this conference truly impactful. Special appreciation to our sponsors:
i. Gold Sponsors: INQABA, Girl Effect
ii. Silver Sponsors: Homeland Hall, CUHAS, KVTC
iii. Custom Sponsors: NNF, Afya Hour Podcast, MEGA WE CARE, RBA Initiative, and many others. We look forward to continuing this important journey with all of you as we prepare for the 5th SFUCHAS Annual Scientific Conference.
Was a pleasure connecting with our colleagues from Haydom Lutheran Hospital management, researchers, and friends—following the 4th Annual SFUCHAS Scientific Conference. During this post-conference engagement, we explored promising opportunities for collaboration in research, training, and community service.
As part of their visit, the team had the opportunity to tour several institutions within the Ifakara Cluster. In addition to SFUCHAS, they visited IHI, SFRRH, TTCIH, SolidarMed, and GSCH. These visits provided valuable insights into the work being done across the cluster and highlighted existing partnerships in the health sector.
We trust the experience was both enriching and inspiring. On behalf of the Office of the Acting Director of Research, Partnership, and Community Services, we warmly welcome all who are interested to visit Ifakara and discover more about our collaborative environment and impactful initiatives.
Special gratitude from Ally Mwambela-SFUCHAS MD student @ MUHAS Win and Learn Academic event, research category winner.
It is with great honor and joy that we witness the official signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SFUCHAS and the Provisional Charitable Foundation (PCF), headquartered in Canada.
This partnership has flourished for more than 13 years, and today we celebrate the impactful outcomes of this collaboration with the signing of two new MoUs. The main focus of our continued partnership is to strengthen community-based initiatives by establishing sustainable projects and supporting postgraduate students, with priority given to SFUCHAS and Ifakara Cluster staff.
Through this collaboration, we envision mutual benefits: for PCF, a community-based organization, the achievement of its mission to uplift underserved rural communities; and for SFUCHAS, the expansion of its impact within the community while enabling staff to further their education.
Looking ahead, we are excited about the many future opportunities with PCF. For now, we will concentrate on projects in oral health and maternal health, which we believe will bring lasting benefits to our rural communities and the entire Ifakara Cluster.
Prof. Albino Kalolo- PRINCIPAL SFUCHAS and Dr Claus Thomas- Ag. Director of Reseearch Partnership and Community Services representing SFUCHAS at an important stakeholder meeting held on 21st August, at Hydom- Mbulu district, celebrating the tremendous achievements of the Safer Birth Bundle of Care (SBBC) project at Hydom- Lutheran Hospital Mbulu.
Phase I of SBBC has already shown remarkable results, and now Phase II has expanded to five regions of Tanzania, with clear evidence of impact:
40% reduction in perinatal deaths
75% reduction in maternal deaths
17% reduction in perinatal deaths across 142 facilities
The program has also taken a bold step forward, entering the early stages of implementation in Nigeria and Ethiopia.
As SFUCHAS, we are proud to contribute to this initiative through various roles, including supervision of PhD students and ensuring evidence-based decision-making in the project’s implementation. On 20th August, we attended presentations from SBBC 10 PhD students ( 7 from Tanzania and 3 from Norway) and engaged in insightful discussions with the team.
The meeting’s central agenda was to explore ways of ensuring the scalability and sustainability of the SBBC project. Key stakeholders, partners, and collaborators shared their insights, including representatives from:
Hydom Lutheran Hospital (our host), SFUCHAS, IHI, MUHAS, KCMC, KU, UNICEF, WHO, Laerdal, Global Financing Facility, TAMA, PAT, Helse Stavanger, AGOTA, Ministry of Health Tanzania, PORALG, Nigerian Ministry of Health
Norwegian Church Aid, ECSA- Health Community and so many other partners.
This platform brought together a rich network of expertise, perspectives, and collaboration in Haydom.
Beyond the formal sessions, we had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Hydom Cultural Centre, where we learned about the four linguistic groups represented in the area (Nilotic, Kushitic, Khoisan, and Bantu). We were inspired by the role of Hydom Lutheran Hospital in attracting and sustaining diverse communities through reliable health services, while also preserving cultural heritage.
We are deeply grateful to Hydom Lutheran Hospital and the SBBC team for hosting us and for their commitment to safer births and healthier communities.
Looking forward to the next year’s annual stakeholder meeting and to continuing this impactful journey together.
As part of our collaboration with SolidarMed, we are pleased to announce the commencement of the Student Attachment Program in Community Medicine. From 8 September to mid-October 2025, five top-performing MD5 students in Community medicine course will undertake placements designed to provide practical exposure to field-based health initiatives, research activities, and administrative functions within SolidarMed’s programs.
The attachments, supervised by SolidarMed project managers and SFUCHAS staff through the Department of Public Health, aim to strengthen students’ professional competencies while contributing to ongoing community health interventions.
Best wishes to the selected students, and it is our hope that other students will be inspired to pursue this opportunity in the future.
Prof. Senga Pemba, Head of Partnerships and Internationalization, and the Ag. Director of Research, Partnership and Community Services had the privilege of representing the Principal of SFUCHAS at the prestigious Managers in Training (MIT) Conference, founded, hosted, and fully supported by the Kilombero Sugar Company.
The MIT program is a distinguished initiative that has been in existence for 23 years. It identifies outstanding students from both universities and secondary schools, offering them bursaries and funding to pursue bachelor’s degrees and, in some cases, secondary education. Upon completion of their studies, these candidates are recruited into the company’s MIT program, where they undergo three years of intensive training, most of the candidates in this program are engineers, human resource officers, medical doctors, accountants etc. During this period, trainees rotate through various company operations, benefit from structured mentorship, and develop innovative solutions through applied research. Their training culminates in a formal presentation of findings before a panel of judges, invited guests, and conference participants. As repeatedly emphasized by the Guest of Honor, the program has “set a high standard that others can learn from,” by equipping graduates with the critical knowledge, skills, and competencies required by today’s job market.
This year’s program was officially opened by Eng. Dr. Erick Mgaya, Assistant Director of Vocational Training, representing the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education. Following the opening, MIT trainees showcased a series of innovative, high-tech, and impact-oriented presentations, highlighting research with tangible benefits for both the company and the wider community.
As an academic and research institution, SFUCHAS identified several areas where we can contribute to strengthening the program. Our commitments include:
i. Supporting skill development in research methodology and data analysis.
ii. Assisting in strengthening and improving the existing MIT curriculum.
iii. Guiding trainees in publishing their research findings in high-impact journals.
iv. Evaluating the program to explore pathways for participants to pursue advanced qualifications, such as Master’s degrees or equivalent awards.
v. In addition, MIT projects with a strong public health focus will be invited for presentation at the Annual SFUCHAS Scientific Conference.
We also reaffirm our commitment to creating opportunities that link SFUCHAS students with industry, enabling them to apply their knowledge and enhance service delivery, similar to the MIT model.
We look forward to welcoming the coordinators of the MIT program to SFUCHAS at the end of September to discuss strategies for establishing a strong and impactful collaboration aimed at advancing academic excellence, fostering innovation, and strengthening the bridge between research and industry.
Each year, our institution gathers to commemorate and reflect on the good deeds of St. Francis of Assisi, who is our patron saint.
Both institutions, St. Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences (SFUCHAS and St. Francis Regional Referral Hospital share St. Francis as their patron, making this celebration especially meaningful for all of us and continually strengthening our collaboration.
The day’s events began with a Holy Mass, setting a spiritual and reflection. This was followed by a joyful celebration on the grounds, where we enjoyed a variety of activities including engaging dramas, vibrant traditional and modern dances, inspiring choir performances, and several competitions with exciting prizes.
We also connected with the community of Ifakara Kilombero through interactive Q&A sessions that involved community members, boda boda riders, and staff from both institutions. It was a wonderful opportunity to come together, celebrate our unity, and reflect on our shared mission and goals.
Looking forward to next year’s celebrations.