T.B. and leprosy. There is a National T.B and Leprosy Programme which is responsible for counselling, treatment, distribution of drug's related to those diseases. The Programme has focal people in all regions within the country. The National Health Policy recognises the role of traditional medicines and alternative healing systems. The Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act, no. 23 of 2002, governs . . the practises, and issues of research in regard to traditional medicines and alternative healing systems. The Goverrunent in doing away with harmful practices that affect women and society at large, it has either enacted new laws or amended the existing ones to deal with the same, for example The Penal Code as amended by Sexual Offences Special Provisions Act Cap. 10 of R.E. 2002 have added Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as one of the criminal offences. Through Non Governmental Organizations (NGO's) and mass media, the government is educating on its citizens how bad FGM is to women's health. Tanzania has ratify on 3rd March 2007, the Maputo Protocol which among other things, prohibits and condemns all form of harmfu~ practices, including FGM. The Maputo Protocol, 2003. also known as the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights of Women in Africa is a product of African Union head of States held in Maputo, Mozambique on July, 2003. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has posed a serious threat to our Country. By December 2001 the United Republic of Tanzania had over two million people living with AIDS. More than 700,000 are suffering from HIV/AIDS. Between 1st January and 31 51 December 2002, a total of 12, 675 cases were reported to the National AIDS control Programme (NACP) from the 21 regions of Tanzania mainland. Many Tanzanian families have been affected by the scourge, yet stigma and discrimination remains high within the communities, at workplace and health services. In 200 1 The National Aids Policy was launched by President Benjamin Mkapa, who declared HIV/AIDS a National Disaster and the Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS) Prime Minister's Office was formed. TACAIDS has been addressing the HIV I AIDS campaign, transmission from motherhood to child, anti retro- viral and stigma and discrimination. HIV I Aids has been made a cross sector issue where by each sector mainstreams it into its mandate. Anti 26