Browsing by Author "Haule, Benard Kabende"

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    Professionalisation in post-independence Tanzania: a case study of medicine.
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 1999) Haule, Benard Kabende
    Modern society exhibits a perpetual dependence on professional services partly due to their quality aspect. In that case professional services have helped in sustaining and regulating life. Professional persons have come about by the advancement in social and technical division of labour primarily as a result of changes in science and technology, a necessary requirement of industrialisation. It is in that respect that professionals play a vital part in the development process. However, our experience in Tanzania is that most of the universally acknowledged occupations as professions have shown professional dilemmas in their effort to provide relevant vital services. The medical profession in particular, hitherto claimed to be a noble profession shows a deflection from the very principles it was founded upon. This trend has had adverse impact of the distribution of health care services among the majority of Tanzanians to the extent that health development goals have been minimally achieved. We argue that we need to understand the environment in which professions evolve and function. Because professions are a function of the process of industrialisation and serving the very process, all occupations struggle to professionalise. Because the process of professionalisation does not take place in a vacuum, but in particular environment, professionalisation assumes a political, economic, social and more so a cultural character. It is, therefore, postulated that the manner in which the state and the medical professionals have interacted provides explanation to the problem of professionalism in medicine. Chapter one describes the problem area, research methodology and provides literature review concerning the problem area. Chapter two is concerned with the theoretical conceptualisation of the problem in which important concepts and perspectives are provided. Chapter three tries to delve into the history of the modern medical services in Tanzania and the development of the medical profession. Chapter four presents research findings which are analysed and discussed with reflection to the research postulate. Chapter five provides an overview, recommendations and conclusion. Since the study reveals that the state has behaved before the medical profession in the manner inimical to the proper functioning of medical professionals, it is suggested that the government should create conducive environment in which professionalism shall flourish.