In February 2008, Pinda was sworn under the oath of protecting and defending watanzania. Surprisingly, he looks helpless, whilst Tanzanians are dying as a result of an avoidable strike. We have become a ‘strike republic', not 'united' any more.
Nchi za wenzetu madaktari wanakuna vichwa jinsi gani ya kuja na Medical Breakthroughs, sisi, wanakuna vichwa jinsi gani ya kupambana na uzembe wa serikali na siasa zake. Tatizo ni kwamba, Tanzania, sekta ya Afya inaendeshwa kisiasa, kuanzia process ya kuandaa bajeti, allocation of resources, to the management of the sector. Na mfumo wetu bado ni ule ile wa enzi za welfare and developmental state. Pia katika mfumo ule, kupingana na kitu chochote, hata kama ni cha msingi kabisa, ulikuwa unaonekana msaliti kwa taifa lako la kijamaa.
Pinda angetumia busara zaidi kwa kusisitia umuhimu wa kubadilisha mfumo mzima wa sekta afya, ili awe ukurasa mmoja na moja ya madai ya madaktari kwamba uongozi wizarani ni mbovu. Ameshindwa nini kutoa tamko kama alilotoa bungeni wakati wa sakata la Jairo? Angesema tu kwamba Rais yupo nje, akirudi, tutaliangalia hili, hasa la kubadili mfumo wa sekta ya afya. Then Rais angefanya tu mabadiliko ya Baraza la Mawaziri lengo likiwa ni kubadili mfumo wa wizara uliopitwa na wakati, ili kuondoa ufisadi na siasa. Kwa ahadi hii tu, madaktari wangepata moyo kwamba wanasikilizwa, hivyo wangerudi makazini, huku serikali ikiahidi kushughulikia mengine, especially in the context of the next budget ya June 2012.
Kuanzia mwaka ujao wa fedha, serikali ingeachana tabia mbovu ya kutenga 75% of the budget kwa matumizi ya wizarani, na hospitali za rufaa na taasisi za kitaifa (humo humo ikiwa ni pamoja na posho, mishahara, tiba za wakubwa nje), huku hospitali nyingine za mikoa, wilaya, na zahanati vijijini ziikipata the remaining 25%, ambayo hata hivyo, zinaishia mikoani mifukoni mwa wachace, na baadhi ya wilaya. Ndio maana unakuta wataalam wengi wanakimbilia up the ladder (hospitali za rufaa, taasisi kadhaa za afya, na baadhi ya mikoa), kwa sababu huku ndio kuna more resources allocated, hivyo kupelekea ‘too much manpower to chase too few resources'. Many years ago, pia African Union walikubaliana kwamba kila nchi itenge 15% ya bajeti yake kwa ajili ya sekta ya Afya. Since then, Tanzania haijawahi kufikisha anything beyond 8%.
Iwapo Mizengo Pinda angeahidi haya - kufumua sekta ya afya na pia kubadilisha how resources are being allocated in the sector, hapo Pinda angekuwa in-line na kiapo chake cha to protect and defend watanzania, na sio kuachia watanzania wafe kwa mgomo unaotatulika.