DODMA: THE Benjamin Mkapa Hospital (BMH) in Dodoma is introducing a special fund to support bone marrow and kidney transplants, a move aimed at expanding lifesaving treatment for children with sickle cell disease and patients in need of kidney transplantation.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by the hospital’s Executive Director, Prof Abel Makubi, during a visit by Mama Anna Mkapa, wife of the late Third Phase President Benjamin William Mkapa, who toured the facility to assess progress made over the past 10 years.
Prof Makubi said the fund is vital due to the high cost of organ transplants, noting that BMH is the only hospital in Tanzania and East Africa offering bone marrow transplants to children with sickle cell disease. A transplant locally costs 75m/-, compared to 130m/- abroad, while kidney transplants cost 40m/- locally versus more than 60m/- overseas.
He said government investment continues to save families millions, but more support is needed to sustain super-specialised services.
“We are mobilising partners to complement government efforts as demand continues to grow,” he said.
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Prof Makubi added that 54 patients have so far undergone kidney transplants at BMH, with 97 per cent progressing well, and revealed that plans are in the final stages to establish a regional centre of excellence for kidney transplant services and training, in line with President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s health sector agenda.
Mama Anna Mkapa commended the hospital’s rapid progress, including the introduction of nearly 20 specialised services and 17 super-specialised services, saying it reflects the vision of the late President Mkapa and the continued commitment of President Samia. She pledged further support to help expand services.
Recalling her earlier mission to Japan with the late President, Mama Mkapa said partnerships initiated then, such as with Tokushukai Medical Group which pioneered dialysis services at UDOM and later BMH have now yielded the milestone of kidney transplant services.
“I am delighted to see how far the country has come, reaching the level of conducting transplants,” she said, promising continued support through her international partners.
