DAR ES SALAAM: IN a groundbreaking achievement, Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH)-Mloganzila has performed a total laryngectomy surgery, marking a significant milestone in medical advancement.
This intricate procedure, involving the surgical removal of the voice box, was successfully performed on a patient, underscoring the hospital’s commitment to pioneering healthcare solutions.
“We have completed the first-ever total laryngectomy—a surgical procedure for throat cancer. Local physicians performed this procedure,” according to Dr Raymond Leiya, Specialist in Ear, Nose, and Throat.
Dr Leiya said the patient will benefit from post-operative care that stops the cancer from spreading to other regions of the body, preventing further damage where the patient has a ‘tracheostomy’ to aid in breathing.
Tracheostomy is a procedure to help air and oxygen reach the lungs by creating an opening into the trachea (windpipe) from outside the neck.
He added that among the causes of throat cancer are smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.
Furthermore, Dr Leiya has counselled the general public to have regular medical checkups to identify any health issues and to receive treatment as soon as possible to prevent injury.
MNH-Mloganzila has been offering specialized services that are otherwise unavailable within the country, effectively minimizing the need for individuals to seek medical services abroad.
The hospital has introduced new specialized services, including weight reduction through the placement of an intragastric balloon. Between July 2022 and March 2023, the hospital successfully provided this service to 87 patients.
The cost of sending one patient abroad ranges from USD 6,000 (equivalent to 15.3mil/-to USD 15,000 (equivalent to 38.2mil/-), whereas the hospital offers the same service for 4.2mil/-.
Furthermore, the hospital also provides treatment for removing kidney stones using Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL), where by March 2023, a total of 380 patients had received this treatment. Previously, this service was only available abroad.
Other specialized services that have been introduced include minimally invasive surgery.
The hospital has also successfully provided bone marrow transplant services to 11 patients. This marks the first occurrence of such a procedure in the country and the East and Central African region.
The cost of sending one patient abroad is 250mil/-, while in MNH-Mloganzila charges only 70mil/-. Therefore, the hospital has spent 770mil/-. If the patients had gone abroad, the government would have spent 2.75bn/-. Hence, a total of 1.98bn/- billion Tanzanian Shillings has been saved.
Deputy Minister for Health said the investment in the health sector has spurred medical tourism in the country, thereby contributing to the growth of GDP.
He said Patients from Comoros, DRC Congo, Zaire, Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, and Uganda seeking medical care have previously travelled to Europe and India.
Dr Mollel further noted that Benjamini Mkapa Hospital in Dodoma has also been providing treatment to seven sickle cell disease patients in anticipation of transplants.
According to him, over 6,000 patients from abroad have undergone treatment in national hospitals, healthcare institutes, regional hospitals, and referral facilities nationwide.
The budget report of the Ministry of Health for the 2023/2024 fiscal year states that from July 2022 to March 2023, a total of 4,797,988 patients received specialised and super specialised services in these hospitals, compared to 5,754,421 patients treated in the same period in 2021/22.
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