ZANZIBAR: THE Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar said it has embarked on the construction of three major referral hospitals: the new Mnazi Mmoja Hospital, the Binguni Cancer Treatment Hospital, and a Teaching Hospital to be built in Binguni, saying that all these hospitals will be accompanied by residential housing for staff.
Isles President, Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi, unveiled the projects when he officially inaugurated residential houses for employees of Kitogani Hospital in the South Unguja Region and directed that all construction projects for residential housing for government employees be supervised by the Zanzibar Housing Corporation (ZHC), to increase efficiency, speed up implementation, and reduce construction costs.
In his opening, Dr Mwinyi said that the government’s goal is to strengthen and improve the quality of health services for citizens in all areas of Zanzibar, as well as reduce the travel distance for health-sector workers by ensuring they live close to the communities they serve.
Dr Mwinyi has also instructed the Ministry of Health to focus more on building hospitals and providing health services, rather than constructing staff housing, a responsibility he said specifically belongs to the Zanzibar Housing Corporation.
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According to the President, ZHC has the mandate and professional capacity to handle housing matters, manage construction projects efficiently, and ensure they are implemented according to the required standards.
According to Dr Mwinyi, after his government’s successful construction of health centers and district hospitals in all 11 districts of Zanzibar, it is now directing its efforts toward completing the construction of regional hospitals in all five regions.
He said the Isles government is continuing with the construction of three major referral hospitals, namely: the new Mnazi Mmoja Hospital, the Binguni Cancer Treatment Hospital, and a Teaching Hospital to be built in Binguni, saying that all these hospitals will be accompanied by residential housing for staff.
Commenting on the Kitogani staff houses he inaugurated, he said they are part of the government’s commitment to providing hospital workers, especially specialized professionals, with quality housing located close to their workplaces.
He said the move will motivate employees, improve the delivery of health services, and reduce the shortage of residential housing for staff.