The Minister for Health, Community
Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ms Ummy Mwalimu, said in Dar
es Salaam yesterday that the government spends enormous amount of money
every year in providing tertiary level treatment to Tanzanians in
overseas hospitals.
“The expansion will allow us to ensure
that Tanzanians receive advanced medical care at home with all the
convenience and support that they rightly deserve,” said the Minister at
a ceremony to unveil the project.
The project worth 167bn/-, which will be
commissioned by 2018, will allow the 175-beds hospital to provide best
health care in non-communicable diseases. Ms Mwalimu, who was the guest
of honour at the event, expressed gratitude to the Aga Khan Health
Services Institution which owns the Aga Khan hospitals, for its
contribution in development of health services in the country.
“The new project is truly a significant investment towards health sector public partnership investment,” she said.
Ms Mwalimu observed that the
non-communicable diseases were on increase pointing out junk foods and
lifestyle changes as the main cause of the diseases. Chair of the Board
Executive Committee of Aga Khan Health Services, Princess Zahra Aga
Khan, said her institution came up with the idea of expanding the
hospital in Dar es Salaam following the increase of cases of
non-communicable diseases.
“Five per cent of the cases the Aga Khan Hospitals receive are of non-communicable diseases,” she said.
Director of Projects and Clinical
Programmes Development at the Aga Khan Health Services, Dr Zeenat
Sulaiman, said the health facility will house clinical units of
neurosciences, cancer, oncology, gynaecology and neonatology. “The
health facility will have teaching and learning spaces at each clinical
unit throughout the hospital for allied health professionals,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ms Mwalimu has directed
Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) Board of Directors to oversee that the
hospital reduces unnecessary referrals abroad to cut government
spending on the area. She also directed the board to look through the
possibility that 25 per cent of medical drugs reimbursement is used for
procuring medicines from the Medical Stores Department (MSD).
Ms Mwalimu made the directives when inaugurating the new MNH Board of Directors in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
"Over 25bn/- is spent on referrals
outside the country every year; I am convinced that you are going to
reduce the number once MNH achieves its status of a super specialist
medical centre in the country," said Ms Mwalimu.
These can only be achieved by availing
those health services that are sought outside the country yet they can
be obtained within the country, although to some extent that has been
attained citing an example of cochlear implant.
"The procurement of drugs and medical
equipments at MNH should be properly scrutinized so that 25 per cent
revenues obtained from medicines is used to buy the same from MSD," she
said.
Ms Mwalimu called on the board to see
through that collection of revenues at the hospital is improved while
exercising the National health Policy for women, children under five and
elderly obtain medical services freely.
"I commend MNH for a notable achievement
on revenue collection from the former 2bn/- to currently 4bn/- in a
month," noted the Minister. The Chairman of the MNH Board, Prof Charles
Majinge, pointed out that for a long time, the performance of the
hospital was not as expected due to financial constraints and lack of
enough medical supplies but it was time to exercise a new vision.
"My Board will work to see that we are
generating effective solutions that will work on the long existing
challenges that have been facing the hospital," pointed out Prof
Majinge.
All these will be achieved by MNH
reflecting its status of a super speciality medical centre and improved
services offered at the hospital. Meanwhile, Muhimbili National Hospital
has received three ambulances from the Government of Japan and Bango
Sangho Dar es Salaam.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, the
Ambassador of Japan, Mr Masaharu Yoshida, said a grant contract was
signed in February 2015 by the two countries, whereby Japan extended
36,603 US dollars, which is equivalent to 80m/- for the purchase of two
ambulances.
‘‘Before the project, MNH had only one
ambulance functioning, patience was required to use public transport or
private cars for referrals, which is a big burden, particularly to the
low-income people,’’ he remarked.
He added: “The situation caused delay of
medical care or sometimes death of people, so upon the request of the
former Executive Director, Dr Marina Njelekela, the Government of Japan
decided to extend this grant," said Mr Yoshida.
On her part, Ms Mwalimu extended
recognition to Japan and Bango Sangho Dar es Salaam for their
assistance, noting that the ambulances will help save many lives. She
called on more individuals with the ability to offer emergency service
aid such as ambulances to do so to help save lives.
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