Obituary: Tanzania Has Lost Great Son, Ndugulile -

By Damas Makangale, Dar es Salaam

I came to know Dr. Faustine Ndugulile in February 2018, when he was Deputy Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children during Dr. John Magufuli’s presidency.

The soft-spoken gentleman was the guest of honour at the launch of a four-day African Medicines Quality Forum (AMQF) in Dar es Salaam, which brought together scientists, policy-makers and health stakeholders from 18 African countries.

Although I had worked in various media houses for almost 19 years, I had never held an interview with him. However, I was aware that he spent his childhood in Upanga just as I did, but due to different age groups, we never played together those days at Mawingu sea view, or near Etienne’s Hotel or Joy Club for young people by then.

His untimely demise was received with shock by many Tanzanians as he was elected after competing with several other Africans for the post of the Director General of World Health Organisation (WHO) for Africa.

Indeed, Tanzania as a nation has lost a great son, who had just been elected to chair the WHO post which would have opened more job opportunists for the nation and for Tanzanians or even access green pastures.

During that AMQF forum, Dr. Ndugulile said drugs regulatory authorities in Africa should be committed to implementing and enforcing agreed quality control measures to enhance and foster qualities in drugs across the region.

The meeting, which was co-organised by the United States of Pharmacopeia Convention (USP), NEPAD Agency, and then Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA), which was one most vital meeting launched by him.

He was a medical doctor specialised in public health and medical microbiology. He joined politics in 2010 and he had been a Member of Parliament (MP) for Kigamboni Constituency in Dar Es Salaam, until he passed away. He was Vice-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Services and Community Development and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on HIV/Aids and Substance Abuse.

He was Chairperson of Geneva-based Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Advisory Committee on HIV/Aids, Maternal and Child Health between 2015 and 2017.

Between 2008 and 2016, Dr Ndugulile was a member of the Governing Council of the International Aids Society, which is also based in Geneva.

In addition, he was a member of Pan African Parliament (2015-2017), a member of the American Society of Microbiologists (ASM), Tanzania Public Health Association (TPHA), and Secretary-General and later Chairperson of the Tanzania Parliamentarians Aids Coalition (TAPAC).

The late, also served as Deputy Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender and Elderly between 2017 and 2020.

With the establishment of a new Ministry of Communication and Information Technology in December 2020, he was appointed as its first Minister.

This Ministry is tasked with the responsibility of overseeing the Digital Transformation in Tanzania. During his short stay in the new Ministry, Dr Ndugulile supervised the development of a five-year Strategic Plan, Broadband and Cybersecurity strategies. He also championed innovation, promotion of starts-up and adoption of new ICT technologies.

A 55-year-old lawmaker and medical doctor, reportedly died on Wednesday morning in India at a hospital where he was admitted for an undisclosed illness.

Dr Ndugulile was born on March 31, 1969. Rest in peace one of the brilliant politicians and medical doctors. Your legacy will not be forgotten in and outside the country.

The author is a freelance journalist