DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA is set for a major leap in specialist medicine as the Muhimbili Orthopaedic and Neurological Institute (MOI) moves to roll out robotic surgery and advanced procedures that could sharply cut overseas medical referrals.
The plan marks one of the most ambitious upgrades in the country’s orthopaedic and neurological care, targeting conditions that have often required treatment abroad and long waits at specialised centres.
MOI Executive Director Ambassador Dr Mpoki Ulisubisya unveiled the programme during the institute’s 30th anniversary, positioning it as a shift toward high-tech, high precision medicine in the public health system.
The rollout includes robotic hip, knee and spine surgery, a bone bank, advanced joint replacements, and expanded specialist care for complex bone conditions in adults and children.
On the neurological side, the institute will introduce robotic spine procedures, advanced pain treatment, and management of severe mobility and spinal disorders.
Dr Mpoki said the aim is simple, to stop sending patients abroad for treatment that can be done in Tanzania.
He said many of the procedures being introduced are currently limited to a small number of specialised centres worldwide.
“We want Tanzanians to access services that were previously only available in a few centres around the world,” he said.
MOI will also expand outreach teams to regions including Arusha, Mara, Ruvuma, Kagera, and Njombe to reduce pressure at its main hospital and cut waiting times.
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Mobile specialist clinics will continue to reach remote areas, bringing treatment closer to patients who would otherwise travel long distances to Dar es Salaam.
Dr Mpoki said the initiative forms part of MOI’s broader ambition to position itself as a leading centre for specialist orthopaedic and neurological care in Africa, while at the same time reducing the country’s dependence on sending patients abroad for treatment that can now increasingly be delivered locally.