AfricaPress-Tanzania: ABOUT 7bn/- has been set aside for distribution of medicines and medical equipment in the Lake Zone, the Medical Store Department (MSD) said on Thursday day.
MSD Lake Zone Manager, Mr Thadei Mayunga said the move targets to make sure all Tanzanians have access to quality and affordable health services.
Mr Mayunga said about 2.2bn/- is for distribution in dispensaries and health centres and the rest of the amount, nearly 4.8bn/-, is for distributions in districts and referral hospitals.
“Distribution exercise is ongoing here in Mwanza Region, and all Lake Zone regions will be covered soon. The distributed medical staff will serve for a period of three months.
“We praise the Dar es Salaam-based Keko Pharmaceutical Industries (1997) for manufacturing important drugs and medical equipment, a situation that serves, among others, reducing (drugs) importation expenses. The industry is 70 per cent owned by the government,” said Mr Mayunga.
According to him, the government is also setting up a new drug and medical equipment factory at Makambako area in Njombe Region, a step that will further reduce drug importation costs.
He stressed that local production of medical equipment will facilitate access to quality and quick health services to all Tanzanians.
“We urge all Tanzanians to join the health insurance services because it has been encouraged by the government and other development stakeholders,” he said.
Addressing the 11th Parliament in Dodoma last year, President John Magufuli highlighted remarkable improvements in the health sector since he assumed power, which he said includes increase in health centres, with 1,198 dispensaries being constructed, 487 health centers, 71 district and 10 regional hospitals, including the Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Hospital, whose construction activities stopped in1970s.
“We have also constructed three zonal hospitals. This has made an increase in health service delivery centres, from 7,014 in 2015 to 8,783 right now. We have also employed 14,479 new health service providers, including 1, 000 doctors.
