Experience public health where it matters most: This seminar takes you to Tanzania to explore how health systems function under limited financial resources. Together with Tanzanian students and experts, you will gain insights into global health challenges, experience hands-on health systems planning, and compare perspectives between the Global South and Switzerland – all within a unique, immersive setting.
In this seminar you will learn what it means to make decisions without knowing everything, without the time to examine everything and most importantly, without being able to cover everything, which is necessary to provide a good health system for the local population in Tanzania. Together with Tanzanian students and Swiss peers, you will dive into topics such as public health, epidemiology, health equity, and the structures of healthcare systems in both Tanzania and Switzerland. Interactive lectures by Dr. Grace Mhalu (Ifakara Health Institute, IHI) and Prof. Mirko Winkler (Swiss TPH) will lay the foundation, followed by a team-based planning challenge led by Micha Bigler – an alumnus of the present course.
The goal of the planning group exercise, which will be an integral part of the course, is to design a health system for the Kilombero region in central Tanzania in small, interdisciplinary Swiss-Tanzanian groups. This district comes with a wide range of challenges, from the sprawling city Ifakara with more than 100’000 inhabitants to rural villages without road connection. Big income disparities, seasonal flooding, growing rates of obesity while still having malnutrition, and recurrent outbreaks of Malaria, Tuberculosis, and sexual transmittable diseases force you to plan your interventions carefully and planfully. You will have to reflect on the effects of your decisions, not only from a planning view, but also from an ethical perspective, provoking discussions about equity and equality in a health care system.
Besides examining different aspects of health system planning in an interactive course setup, the discovery of other interesting aspects of Tanzania will not come up short. Excursions to the former slavery trading post in the colonial city of Bagamoyo, visiting alternative and more traditional concepts of a health system in the fishing village of Mlingotini and enjoying the beautiful wildlife directly bordering the Indian Ocean in the Saadani National Park will complete the seminar in Tanzania. Of course, we will leave you with enough free time to discover the lively city of Bagamoyo by yourself and our Tanzanian colleagues. And if you like, you can extend your private stay in Tanzania to see even more of this beautiful country.
The Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), the host of this seminar, is one of the most renowned research, training and service organisations on the African continent. It began in 1949 as a research and training partnership with the Swiss Tropical Institute (now the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute; Swiss TPH) before becoming the Swiss Tropical Institute Field Laboratory in 1956 and later an independent Tanzanian research institution in 1996. Today, the institute’s work spans a wide range of sciences including biomedical, ecological and health systems research and remains a close partner of Swiss TPH and Switzerland together with many other key partners around the world.
Facilitators: Professor Mirko Winkler (Head of the Urban Public Health Unit at Swiss TPH and University of Basel), Dr. Grace Mhalu (Head of the Health Systems, Interventions, Impact Evaluation and Policy unit at IHI) and Micha Bigler (PhD candidate in health systems planning at Swiss TPH and beneficiary of the Swiss Study Foundation).
Keynote speakers: Dr. Honorati Masanja (Chief Executive Director at IHI), Dr. Ntuli Kapologwe (Director General at East Central and Southern Africa Health Community), Dr. Kandi Lussingu (District Medical Officer in Bagamoyo), Dr. Luiyana Lyimo (Hospital director at Bagamoyo Hospital) among many more.
Organisation: Dr. Klara Sekanina, Marco Büsch (Swiss Study Foundation)
Local organisation: Dr. Kafuruki Shubis (former Head of Training at IHI), Dr. Dickson Lwetoijera (Head of Training at IHI)
Administration: Nathalie Ellington
Dates:
1. Preparatory event: Thursday 6 November 2025, 17:15-21:00 in Olten (mandatory)
2. Seminar: Saturday 10 January – Wednesday 21 January 2026 in Bagamoyo
Location: Bagamoyo, Tanzania: Bagamoyo Research and Training Centre (BRTC) of the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI)
Accommodation: Travellers Lodge in Bagamoyo
Working Language: English
Programme: Interactive speeches and presentations on theory by seminar leaders and external experts as well as extensive group work on a health systems planning challenge for the Kilombero region in Tanzania. Excursions to local/regional health and research institutions. Discussions with regional stakeholders. Interactive visits to Bagamoyo and Mlingotini and safari in the Saadani National Park.
Preparatory reading: A list of preparatory literature and an introduction into the country of Tanzania will be provided. The preparation day in November will be crucial as preparation for the content of the course and practical questions. We recommend to learn some words in Kiswahili.
Participants: max. 16. Only students who did not participate in the previous seminars in Tanzania are eligible to participate.
Costs: CHF 600 (incl. flights, accommodation, excursions and most meals). In exceptional cases, this fee may be waived.
Additional Remarks: Attendance at the preparatory 1-day event in Switzerland is a prerequisite for attending the seminar. Participants are responsible for their own medical precautions. Please ensure that you have informed yourself about any necessary steps.
