Dr. Peter Mmbuji is a physician and public health specialist who worked with the Tanzania Ministry of Health for over 30 years, contributing significantly to health systems strengthening across various key departments, including policy and planning, medical services, preventive health and promotion, and operational research. Upon retirement, he was engaged for eight years to provide technical assistance and liaison services supporting the U.S. CDC Tanzania in the implementation of Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA)–related activities.
Dr. Mmbuji played a pivotal role in health sector reform initiatives in Tanzania, particularly within healthcare financing units and public-private partnerships, including collaborations with faith-based organizations. His key positions and roles have included:
• Head of Voluntary and Private Health Services
• Director of Epidemiology and Disease Control, and IHR Focal Point Lead
• Program Manager for Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR)
• Principal Investigator for preparedness and response projects related to avian and pandemic influenza (supported by USAID and the U.S. CDC)
• Co-founder and Director of the Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (FELTP)
• Manager of the East Africa Public Health Laboratory Networking Project supported by the World Bank, which involved Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.
For five consecutive years, Dr. Mmbuji played a vital role in advancing global health by coordinating national and international public health matters. He participated in key forums including the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, the World Health Organization – Africa Regional Office (WHO-AFRO), the East African Community (EAC), the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
As a co-founder of the One Health platform in Tanzania, he coordinated both local and international meetings involving cross-sectoral stakeholders, academic institutions, and development partners. He also served as a board member of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) in Uganda.
Dr. Mmbuji is a strong advocate for the implementation of the WHO-AFRO Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategy in Tanzania, since its adoption in 1998. His contributions have led to significant advancements in public health surveillance, including the establishment of digital platforms in collaboration with local telephone companies for electronic real-time reporting, the creation of the National Influenza Centre (NIC), and the strengthening of public health laboratory services—precursors to the National Public Health Laboratory. Additionally, through FELTP, he has helped build a competent workforce capable of responding to public health emergencies. As part of the health sector reform team, he also laid the groundwork for the establishment of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
Following retirement, Dr. Mmbuji has continued to offer technical support in preparedness and response to public health threats such as cholera and Ebola (as a consultant with WHO and EU-funded initiatives), as well as during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Marburg virus outbreak (as
a GHSA Senior Advisor and U.S. CDC Liaison). He continues to be consulted by the Ministry of Health to assist in the development of policy guidelines, training materials, and the establishment of subnational public health emergency operations centers. Otherwise, volunteers to support accelerating community development at home rural village of origin.
Dr. Mmbuji holds a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree and a Master of Medicine in Community Health (MMed CH) from the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He has received additional training in business administration, financial management of donor-funded projects, and public expenditure management through the East and Southern Africa Management Institute (ESAMI). He also completed training in health economics and financing at the Centre for Health Policy, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; and in Management in International Public Health (MIPH) and International Applied Epidemiology (IAE) through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.