Africa-Press – Tanzania. MUHIMBILI National Hospital (MNH) is set to establish a dedicated innovation unit aimed at inspiring staff to develop creative and impactful ideas to enhance both social and clinical services at the institution.
The initiative comes in response to a noticeable shortage of new research projects in some departments. Through the innovation desk, MNH seeks to empower its workforce to generate practical solutions that will strengthen research activities and improve service delivery across the hospital.
Speaking yesterday during the Research and Quality Improvement Dissemination Symposium in Dar es Salaam, MNH Executive Director Dr Delilah Kimambo said the innovation unit is expected to enhance the effectiveness of social service research, particularly studies focused on improving healthcare quality, informing national policies, and accelerating medical progress in the country.
“The establishment of this sub-unit will provide employees with a platform to present innovative, highimpact ideas that can improve the hospital’s social services,” she said.
She emphasised that these research efforts are vital, as they enhance productivity in social service studies aimed at improving healthcare quality across the country, strengthening policy frameworks and driving medical progress.
The event, organised by MNH in collaboration with the Abbott Fund Tanzania, also saw the launch of a research compendium documenting all studies conducted at the hospital in previous years. According to her, approximately 500 research studies are conducted each year using the hospital’s existing databases.
However, despite notable research achievements especially in improving clinical services, the sector continues to face several challenges, including limited financial resources and a shortage of modern equipment.
Another major challenge, she noted, is the lack of a robust digital data management system that would allow researchers to access patient information directly from secure databases rather than relying on patient interviews.
“Our current system still needs significant improvement. We must strengthen data management to ensure the integrity and accessibility of hospital information,” she added.
Abbott Fund Tanzania’s Director of Sustainability Dr Festo Kayandabila expressed their commitment to ensuring that research initiatives become sustainable and continue to fuel progress in this sector through evidencebased improvements.
