Clusters of Communicable Diseases in Selected Regions of Tanzania

Abstract

Twalibu Fadhili and Ramkumar T. Balan

All around the world, particularly in Africa, communicable diseases have become a challenge to the public health system. Understanding the interactions and dynamics between multiple diseases that share resources, time, and geography is essential, especially in contexts where resources are scarce. This study is the beginning in Tanzania to assess the communicable disease clusters in selected regions to make precautions and awareness amongst people and the healthcare community to prevent the diseases. Four diseases—influenza, urinary tract infection, diarrhoea, and malaria, depending on their mode of transmission—vector, person-to-person contact, oral contact, and airborne contact, respectively—were considered for the study. The study includes six zones: Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Mbeya, Mtwara, and Mwanza for the period of 2020 to 2021. Statistical tools like discriminant analysis and cluster analysis pinpointed the risky age groups with multiple diseases in specified regions. The study showed that the elderly in Arusha, Mbeya, and Mtwara were at high risk, while the children in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma and the infants in Mwanza were also at risk.

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