Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan on Saturday instructed the Ministry of Health to reimburse the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute’s 30 per cent of the entire cost it will incur providing medical care and treatment on exempted patients.
JKCI was established in 2015, specializing in cardiovascular care, training and research services but the Institute says it had admitted numerous patients on exemption scheme—and needed the government consideration to sustain its service.
“I am not suggesting that the practice should be frozen, no…,” said JKCI Executive Director, Prof Mohamed Janabi.
“We are suggesting at least the institute should get something small to sustain its operations.”Cardiac related care and treatment are very expensive and since the establishment of the institute it had served lives for at least 444,848 Tanzanians.
Speaking shortly after launching a cathlab at the institute on Saturday, President Samia ordered Minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children Dr. Dorothy Gwajima consider the new plan so as to improve health services rendered by the institute.
“The number of patients receiving treatment as well as the service must be sustained… The minister must look into it and payback at least 30 per cent,” the president said.
President Samia hailed the institute for its role in saving lives in the country. In additional to providing medical care and treatment to locals, JKCI is also providing service to other nationals including Burundi, Comoros, Ethiopia, Malawi, the United States, Egypt, and Uganda.
