Africa-Press – Tanzania. AS part of its efforts to eradicate infectious diseases in the country, the government has set aside 5.1bn/- to fund institutions working on Covid-19 research.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Saturday said that the government was keen to continue investing in medical research as a strong pillar in the development and enhancement of treatment in the country.
She made the remark during the 50th Jubilee celebrations of the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) Hospital in Moshi District, Kilimanjaro region, as part of activities of her tour of the region.
The funds, according to the Head of State, are part of a 1.3tril/- relief package provided recently by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under the Rapid Credit Facility (RCF) to help finance Tanzania’s urgent balance of payment needs caused by Covid-19.
“Research is a major pillar in the global fight against diseases, and the government has continued to make significant investments in this area through universities, research institutes, and medical service providers such as KCMC,” she said.
President Samia commended all those still researching Covid-19 and urged health experts and researchers to continue their research in order to discover the best approach to battle the pandemic.
She added that as of October 15th this year, a total of 940,507 Tanzanians were vaccinated, accounting for 88.9 per cent of the 1,058,400 doses given out in July this year.
President Samia stated that there was no vaccine shortage in Tanzania because the second shipment of 576,558 Sinopharm vaccine doses arrived on October 8th, and another consignment is on its way.
On investment in the health sector, she said the government will continue to create an enabling environment for various stakeholders to invest in the crucial sector in the country and ensure that these hospitals are managed by various guidelines, including providing specialists with all enabling services.
“Congratulations, KCMC, for bringing this hospital up to date in terms of providing health services with cutting-edge technology. Based on the services you give in numerous areas, the government upgraded this hospital’s status to Northern Regional Referral Hospital and a highly specialized hospital.
“The government’s goal is to bring specialist services closer to the people. We will continue to provide essential support to ensure you provide better services, as this is one of the hospitals that began practicing medical tourism,” she said.
She asserted that the introduction of cancer screening services at the hospital has reduced congestion at Ocean Road Hospital as well as the costs of sending patients abroad, allowing people from neighbouring regions to save money on medical expenses, which is in line with the government’s plan to bring these services closer to the people.
President Samia said the government has continued to enable KCMC to upgrade its infrastructure, including the building of a liquid oxygen facility capable of producing 400 cylinders in 24 hours, according to an agreement struck between the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT) and the government.
She urged other institutions to follow KCMC’s lead in enhancing their healthcare delivery systems, both inside and outside the country, as this contributes to the successful implementation of Tanzanians’ well-being.
ELCT Bishop, Dr Fredrick Shoo said KCMC was formally established in 1971 as a Zonal Referral Consultant hospital owned by the ELCT under the Good Samaritan Foundation (GSF).
“The goal was to establish an independent legal entity that would remain permanently linked to the ELCT and the Christian Council of Tanganyika. The foundation was established with the immediate goal of creating the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre. The referral hospital was built to serve Tanzania’s northern, eastern, and central regions. Its track record in medical services, research, and education have a big impact in East Africa and beyond,” he said.
Dr Shoo stated that they aim to begin building the cardiac care unit soon, and that a team of doctors has already been dispatched to study for new roles in the unit.
According to him, the building will cost 16bn/- and will be sponsored by the GDF and other donors from the United States, the Netherlands, Egypt and Tanzanians willing to contribute. It will be finished in the next four years.
