MWANZA, July 29 -- ALTHOUGH Tanzania has established national and regional disaster management systems, a significant challenge remains: Many citizens are still unaware of the existence and responsibilities of Disaster Management Committees designed to protect lives and property during emergencies.

Limited public understanding of these structures can delay emergency reporting, slow response efforts and reduce the effectiveness of rescue operations.

The issue emerged during a recent stakeholders meeting on drowning prevention held in Mwanza Region, where participants highlighted gaps in public awareness about disaster coordination mechanisms.

During the discussions, several participants admitted that they had never heard of the Regional...