Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday launched a state-of-the-art Infectious Disease Centre (IDC) at Lugalo Military Hospital in Dar es Salaam.
The centre is equipped with an excellent laboratory worth 10bn/- that can receive coronavirus patients as well as any other infectious diseases.
In the course, she described it as a great supplement to implementing medical tourism programs and reinforcing the nation in the fight against different contagious diseases, as the world still contends with coronavirus pandemic.
“IDC has boosted our spirit that we can fight various diseases such as Ebola, AIDS, Malaria, Coronavirus and Tuberculosis. The facility is useful and I suppose it will build up the country’s capacity to contain these diseases,” she pointed out.
Elaborating, the head of state noted that the government has invested in strengthening and improving health services, especially building infrastructures to provide better health services, increasing health workers and increasing access to medical equipment countrywide.
She said as the country has embarked on medical tourism and many patients are going to Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI), the neighbouring countries should be informed that the centre with modern laboratory equipment is up and running.
Equally, she pointed out that the projects handed over yesterday are a continuation of many schemes the German Federal government has been supporting Tanzania with since 1961 with estimates narrowing to worth 2.5 billion Euros.
“Germany is our largest trading and investment partner by 2017, when trade between our countries grew to 320 million US dollars and their investment in Tanzania grew by 1.6 billion US Dollars and provided 14,850 jobs,” she explained Ms Samia said the federal government through the German Armed Forces Technical Advisory Group (GAFTAG) will build also a level 4 Military Hospital in the capital Dodoma and a Peacekeeping College at Msata in the Bagamoyo region.
Hence, she directed Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Venance Mabeyo to train well medics, who will make sure the equipment, is professionally installed at the IDC and they are capable of running minor service, whenever there is a need.
In a related development, President Samia commended the army for the hard work they are doing to protect the country’s borders and the representations they are making in various peacekeeping missions in the DRC, Sudan and Central Africa.
“The government will continue providing its efforts to strengthen our army, including ensuring access to modern equipment and looking after your interests,” she said.
Earlier, Germany Ambassador to Tanzania, Ms Regine Hess said the state of art centre can serve as a normal Military Hospital and Military Medical Training Centre and also become flexible, whenever there is a pandemic outbreak.
“IDC was not planned as a reaction to coronavirus, it was thought to be an integral element for the preparedness of Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF) for international peace mission it could care for military personnel going to or returning to mission in DR Congo where Ebola occur,” she said.
Ms Hess said the federal government supports TPDF in peacekeeping missions, because they are a strong believer in regional cooperation in general and in multilateral solutions for problems occurring in the world.
In response, CDF Mabeyo described the investment made at the IDC as one of the world’s most crucial support and believes it is part of the few facilities available in the country.
“For the first time, a military hospital is endowed with this state-of-the-art centre capable of fighting large-scale infectious diseases.
We are grateful for the support we received from GAFTAG,” he said For Dodoma hospital, he said the German government has allocated 20bn/ – for the construction.
They are currently collecting materials before the actual work begins. The CDF said the Tanzanian military has a partnership agreement with the German army through GAFTAG that has supported the country in the construction of various projects.
According to him, under the partnership projects that was supported by GAFTAG include a printing centre in Gongo la Mboto, Dar es Salaam worth 1.25bn/ -, an examination building at e Lugalo Military College of Medical Sciences for 1.1bn/-, adding that they have also collaborated in the construction of military workshops in Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Shinyanga and Mwanza at 3bn/ – being their total cost. Other support includes the construction of a zonal hospital in Monduli, Arusha region and furnished with modern equipment.
The zonal hospital will be used as a referral hospital with support from Lugalo Military Hospital in Dar es Salaam.
The hospital was constructed at the cost of 5.9bn/-, of which 346.8m/- was provided by the Tanzanian government.
Commenting, Health Minister, Dr Dorothy Gwajima said the centre has many great benefits including helping Tanzania implement medical its tourism agenda, adding that it will also backup testing various samples of related ailments.
“Tanzania’s health sector should realize that there is a level 3 laboratory here that tests many tests many diseases such as cancer within a very short time for one to get their results, this further strengthens this important sector,” she said
