By The Citizen Reporter

Dar es Salaam. The ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s 2010/11 budget is unrealistic, a non-governmental organisation says.Sikika, an NGO advocating for quality health services for all Tanzanians, says its analysis has established that there are double allocations in some areas of the budget.

However, it found out that there was a considerable decrease in an unnecessary spending. On the double allocation, the NGO found out that while it is the National Assembly’s responsibility to bear costs of Members of Parliament’s visits to their constituencies, the ministry of Health’s Directorate of Policy and Planning planned to spend Sh75 million on visits of the minister and deputy minister to their constituencies as well as four other officials.

“A discrepancy such as this is unacceptable considering the fact that the Sh75 million alone is more than twice what regions will receive as allocations for their multi-sectoral HIV/Aids projects or for the activities for the prevention of transmission of the disease,” notes Sikika chief executive Irenei Kiria in a statement.

On unrealistic planning, Sikika points out that in sub vote 1005, under the category items ‘Travel out of country’, the ministry has allocated Sh100,000 for travel, but, realistically, the money is not enough for that activity.

“This raises concerns that these allocations are not done seriously; otherwise a discrepancy like this would not be seen in the plans,” said Mr Kiria.Sikika also identified ineffectiveness in planning. For the commemoration of the World Malaria Day this year, it is planned to use more than Sh62 million.

Source:The Citizen