Political Commitment and Multisectoral Coordination of HIV/AIDS Work: A Study of Tanzania

Abstract

The article examines the multilevel governance system of HIV/AIDS service delivery in Tanzania by studying how the central and local governments' multisectoral coordination bodies work. The article applies a single embedded case study design. The article demonstrates that the attempts to govern HIV/AIDS services through multisectoral coordinating bodies at central and local government levels has failed in meeting good governance principles of transparency, accountability, representation, and popular participation. Multisectoral coordination has rather served to depoliticize HIV/AIDS because the coordinating bodies have no actual political authority to coordinate other government actors or donors. The global HIV/AIDS programs have contributed to depoliticize HIV/AIDS by funding particular types of services and service deliverers, reducing national ownership of HIV/AIDS service delivery. The implications of this article is that the multisectoral approach and coordination attempts need to be revised in the context of the increased focus on health sector work on HIV/AIDS in recent years.