NATURE, culture and the interaction between human beings, wildlife and livestock in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area have extremely thrilled touring Israeli doctors and the Jews are out to market the tourism attraction.
The medical personnel who were offered a tour of the Ngorongoro by President John Magufuli due to their remarkable services in treating children with cardiac problems at Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza and at the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) paid a threeday visit to the world heritage site.
The doctors from ‘Save a Child’s Heart’, accompanied by some Tanzanians from the JKCI were amazed by the huge number of wild beasts they witnessed but the way people along with their livestock have been offered opportunities to live in the same area with wildlife and are now prosperous.
Speaking on behalf of his fellow doctor tourists after visiting parts of the world’s largest unbroken caldera, Dr Sagi Assa said it was a special moment as they find that there is no other place resembling Tanzania in terms of tourism attractions, especially at Ngorongoro and in respect to culture.
“W e live in a modern world. Even in Dar es Salaam. It is wonderful in terms of nature; a beautiful and unique landscape, a massive conserved area you cannot see this anywhere in the world. There is a very special way of life; people living alongside wildlife and livestock.
The children may come to be our leaders when we may have forgotten these. W e are going to promote this,” said Dr Assa. He pledged that the 23- man team of doctors will be coming back to Ngorongoro with their families to witness the wonders of the world as well as promote the unique tourism attraction.
He was of the opinion that although Israelis are innovative, the management of Ngorongoro has gone steps further in conservation; improve wildlife, people’s lives and their livestock.
President Magufuli met the doctors late last year and was pleased with what they were doing; hence he offered them the excursion at Ngorongoro.
They jetted at Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) on Thursday morning and headed to Arusha and had a walk in Karatu later in the day before going to Ngorongoro.
Save a Child’s Heart’s Marketing Manager, Ms Narissa Rosenfeld said that Ngorongoro was an eye opener on the way people, wildlife and livestock exist together, saying most of the Israeli doctors found the experience to be of its own kind.
“So happy with the excursion, so happy to see a lot of animals but more of the polite and welcoming people, good with attractive cultural utensils. I think we are lucky to be here, overwhelmingly happy,” she said.
One of JKCI officials accompanying President Magufuli’s invitees, Dr Majani Naizihijwa said the Israeli doctors and some of JKCI local staff were so happy to visit Ngorongoro and were of great thanks to the president for the offer.
“They are happy and really appreciate the President Magufuli’s offer; we had a three to four kilometres walk on the first day, today together we have seen a lot of animals but the bottomline is that they enjoy the same good hospitality at Dar es Salaam, at hospitals, hotels and from the communities,” said Dr Naizihijwa.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) Conservation Commissioner Dr Fredy Manongi introduced the doctors of the world’s unbroken caldera, unveiling to them of the fact that they were visiting the area when millions of beasts were in place this period of the year as part of their great migration.
They also stay at Serengeti National Park and Maasai Mara. The visitors who went as far as Ndutu in the Conservation Area were able to see cheetah, giraffe, zebra, antelopes, Thompson gazelle, monkey and a huge numbers of wild beasts.
The doctors have been offering the services free of charge at the institute and so far 300 children have been treated. She said in case of a need of referral the children are taken to Israel and by now 70 children have been referred and treated there.
The services proved to be helpful, as the cost to treat a child in India where they were initially taken to was between 30m/- to 40m/- but at the institute it is only about 4 m/- to 6m/-.
