Africa-Press – Tanzania. THROUGHOUT the developing world, most health systems are characterized by mixed public and private financing and delivery of health care. The role of the private health sector in health care delivery in most countries is being acknowledged by governments as important to bridge existing gaps from government facilities.
Zanzibar is among growing countries with gaps in delivery of health care services as being noticed in the tourism industry. It is against this backdrop that the government through the Ministry of Health, Social welfare, Elders, Gender and Children has been calling upon the private sector including Diasporas to complement gaps in government health centres.
One of the members of Diaspora, Ameesh Mehta is the first to invest in the health services since 2011 when he opened a new private hospital at Vuga, Stone Town, after his return from the USA where he lived and worked in providing medical services for more than six years.
His efforts in expanding health services in both Zanzibar and in the Mainland for local people and tourists have been going on. He opened his sixth hospital in Paje Village, a famous tourist destination in the South Unguja Region. Some of more than 4,000 residents of Paje led by community leader (Sheha) Mr Mohamed Haji grateful that they have the facility in the area.
“We are happy with the government and Diaspora Ameesh for opening up the ‘Dr Mehta’s Hospital- Paje’. It guarantees medical services to both to us and tourists. Tourism needs reliable health services,” said M Haji.
‘Dr Mehta’ is no longer new name in health sector as he celebrates a decade since he returned home (Zanzibar) to open up health services in response to calls from top leaders asking members of the Diaspora to help build their country of origin. In 2010 former presidents Ali Mohamed Shein and Jakaya Kikwete called on the members of Tanzania Diaspora to take an active role in pushing development by investing in the country.
Dr Mehta who was living and working in the USA decided to open his first hospital in Zanzibar in 2011. “I am happy to celebrate ten years of providing services to my fellow Zanzibaris at affordable price, and also through outreach programmes which include health camps, and also providing medical services to tourists. It has been a decade of success to me and my country in the health sector,” Dr Ameesh Mehta said. Dr Mehta’s Hospital family celebrated the ten years of services in the country by opening a new hospital at Paje tourists’ coastal area, Unguja South.
The opening of the modern hospital was graced by the Minister of Health, Social welfare, Elders, Gender and Children Mr Nassor Ahmed Mazrui who commended the Diaspora Mehta for investing in health services.
“Health facilities are never enough as it has been proved during outbreak like the Coronavirus pandemic. I urge other members of the Diaspora and even local people with the ability of opening hospitals to do so for the benefit of people.” He said that the government welcomes and encourages members of the Diaspora to invest in the country in various areas of development including provision pf modern health services which remain crucial to the development of the country including the tourism industry.
The Minister also challenges investors that it is possible for Zanzibar to have ‘medical tourism’ should they establish modern health facilities with enough skilled staffs and equipment. In July this year, when President Hussein Ali Mwinyi met with some appointed ambassadors to represent Tanzania abroad and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Ambassador Liberata Rutageruka Mulamula, he appealed to the members of the Diaspora to engage in various development activities at home including investments.
“We need multiple contributions from the Diaspora so that our Blue Economy policy is realized,” Mwinyi said as Ambassador Mulamula expressed her Ministry’s commitment in ensuring that it pays attention to the issue of Diaspora, especially considering that her Ministry is currently reviewing its 2001 Diaspora Policy.
Mr Ameesh G. Mehta was the first Zanzibar Diaspora to get motivated to invest in medical services, he started with one and now opens the sixth ‘Dr Mehta’s Hospital’ in PaJe. His other facilities include a clinic at Nungwi in 2017, followed by a clinic at Serengeti in mainland in 2018, then Uroa village in 20019.
Dr Ameesh Mehta, founder and executive director of ‘Dr Mehta’s Hospitals’ said the new hospital or health centre at Paje, as other hospitals, provides basic medical care/ treatment/testing including x-ray, Ultra sound, laboratory, and ECG, “Our services also include pharmacy, minor surgery, and rest room for patients.”
The Registrar of private hospitals advisory board Ms Dua Suleiman Mussa has said that “Dr Mehta has complied with the requirements before the opening of the health centre. The administration has done tremendous work in meeting the requirements for the new centre.”
Ms Mussa thanked members of the Diaspora saying Dr Mehta has showed the way, others should also come-up with more investments as Dr Mehta says the hospitals have adequate skilled staff including specialists coming from Dar es Salaam for screening and treatment every month and also organized treatment camp in Zanzibar, along with strengthening relations with some international Hospitals in India such as K.D Hospital.
According to Dr Mehta, more than one million US dollars have been spent in establishing the clinics and health centres. He holds a Medical degree MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) from University of Mumbai, Maharashtra India since 1997. Dr Mehta gained vast medical experience in Mumbai, India, Muscat Oman and Zanzibar Tanzania, and was based in the United States from March 2002 till 2008.
He was then Chief Hospital Administrator of Regency Medical Centre Dar-Es-Salaam, and then finally reopened Dr Mehta’s Hospital on July 30th, 2011. ‘Dr Mehta’s Hospital’ was initially started in 1960 by his Grandfather Dr M. L. Mehta who worked for long in V.I Lenini (changed the name to Mnazi-Mmoja) hospital, and also worked in Pemba Island. The Dr Mehta’s hospital used to operate in until 1990s before it closed down.
“During my six years in the US, I gained a variety of certifications as a Surgical Assistant, Nationally Certified Allied Healthcare Instructor from American Medical Technologist just to name a few,” said Dr Mehta adding that he gained a lot of experience working under physicians in the US.
He said that was also with Allied healthcare industry for five years and spent two years working for a Fortune Five hundred company as a Medical Director for their Dialysis centre named DAVITA in Houston Texas. “I was also was awarded a Diploma in Dialysis Training,” he said adding “I was born in Zanzibar and my forefathers have also practiced medicine in Zanzibar. My Grandfather was a personal Physician to The British Secretary and the First President of Zanzibar His excellence (late) Abeid Amani Karume, My dad and Uncle followed the same tradition being personal Physician to the top Government Officials who eventually became Presidents of Zanzibar.” Dr Mehta has been providing health services to most tourists hotels in Stone town. He plans to expand services in Pemba Island next year. Plans are also underway to introduce physiotherapy unit, dental clinic, and dialysis and 24-hour pharmacy.
Some retired and serving leaders including Dr Amani Karume and Regional Commissioner (RC) for Unguja South Mr Rashid Hadid Rashid have praised Dr Mehta for encouraging member of the Diaspora to invest in the Islands at the time when Zanzibar is struggling to improve its economy.
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