Tanzania: CCM Pledges Healthcare Leap

By Florence Mugarula in Dodoma

RULING CCM has pledged to enhance the health sector by constructing more than 1600 new health facilities and enrol at least 25,000 students in health related courses from

2020 to 2025.

The party's new election manifesto, unveiled on Saturday in Dodoma, explains that apart from making major strides in the sector in the past five years, the party still plans to strengthen it by increasing the number of officials and specialists doctors, purchasing modern health equipment for testing and treatment as well as improving infrastructures.

The manifesto sets out an ambitious target in the next five years, of increasing health facilities by 20 per cent. Currently, there are a total of 8,783 health facilities across the country.

"In the coming five years, the government will focus on major issues in the health sector including building and finishing all projects in different areas.

The construction of health centres will consider the geographical position, the number of people in the area and the number of patients," reads part of the document.

The ruling party also pledges to offer more training to health officials and increase enrollment of new students in the sector.

"We expect to increase the number of enrolled students to at least 25,000 in the coming five years; this will cut down the demand of experts in our hospitals and health centres," reads the document.

Moreover, the coming government will also engage in the second phase of the construction of 98 district councils' hospitals and strengthen the provision of medicines and other related healthcare services at 28 referral hospitals and finalize the construction and renovation of 125 district hospitals.

It is on record that the fifth-phase government has recorded tremendous achievements in improving delivery of health services to Tanzanians, which is translated in the great success in fulfilling the 2015-2020 manifesto pledges of ensuring provision of quality health care to the citizens.

In the past five years, the government has invested heavily in the country's health sector, to enhance availability of not only routine health services but also specialised healthcare, hence positioning Tanzania as a healthcare hub for medical tourism.

When he assumed office in 2015, President John Magufuli issued several directives to the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children and its institutions, to chart out plans that would transform the health sector, including introduction of specialised services, which were not available in the country.

The government has demonstrated its commitment by massively increasing the health budget to ensure improved access to medical drugs, facilitate the construction of health facilities countrywide and introduction of specialised services which have trimmed the number of Tanzanians seeking treatment overseas by more than 95 per cent.

In the past five years, health facilities have increased from 7014 in 2015 to 8783 in 2020 on which dispensaries have increased from 6,044 of 2015 to 7242 in 2020, health centres have increased from 718 in 2015 to 1,205 in 2020.

District council hospitals have increased from 77 of 2015 to 148 in 2020, the number includes 71 new hospitals.

The government has also constructed 10 regional hospitals, including Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Hospital in Mara Region, whose construction was stalled since 1970.

Launching his campaigns on Saturday, Dr Magufuli said investments in specialised services had reduced the number of patients seeking medical treatment abroad. He said between 200 and 300 patients were referred abroad annually but the number had dropped to less than 60.

Dr Magufuli said that major improvements in the health sector would enable the country become a healthcare hub for medical tourism and thereby earn the government more revenue.