DAR ES SALAAM: THE health sector stands out as one of the nation’s greatest success stories, reshaped by sustained and strategic government investment.
Since independence, the country’s health system has undergone significant transformation, reflecting the government’s steadfast commitment to ensuring that routine, specialised and super-specialised services are available within the country and closer to communities.
Significant resources have been channeled into infrastructure, medical equipment, supplies and training of health personnel strengthening Tanzania’s position as an emerging healthcare hub for medical tourism.
Before independence, many citizens relied on traditional medicine for prevention and treatment of various illnesses.
Western medical services were limited, unevenly distributed and marked by inequalities that denied the majority access to essential healthcare.
By 1960, the country had 1,343 hospitals and dispensaries with a combined bed capacity of 18,832. Only 12 large hospitals existed, offering 3,046 beds, seven government-owned, four run by religious institutions and one privately owned.
The bed ratio stood at one bed for every 1,000 people. After the country attained independence in 1961, the Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, prioritised the fight against poverty, ignorance and disease.
His government committed to ensuring universal access to free healthcare at the nearest health facilities.
The Ujamaa policy, which championed free health services for all, catalysed the establishment of numerous health facilities nationwide.
A major challenge inherited from colonial rule was the concentration of health services in urban areas, with rural communities largely neglected.
Expanding access to health services across the country became one of the first government’s most urgent tasks.
Nyerere viewed a healthy population as essential to national development and positioned health planning as an integral component of broader development strategies.
The First Five-Year Development Plan (1964–1969) prioritised the establishment of regional hospitals and the expansion of specialist and surgical care across all regions.
Efforts were also made to develop rural health centres, satellite dispensaries and medical training institutions, including the introduction of new courses to meet demand for healthcare workers.
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The Second Five-Year Development Plan (1969– 1974) placed major emphasis on preventive services to curb communicable diseases, consolidating gains from the first plan.
The Third Five-Year Development Plan (1976– 1981) sought to expand health services in both urban and rural areas, supporting the Primary Health Care approach adopted internationally during the Alma-Ata Declaration of 1978.
The three plans collectively contributed to advancing the goal of “health for all by the year 2000.” These early initiatives laid the foundation for continuous development of the health sector.
Successive governments built on this groundwork through policies aimed at expanding access to services, strengthening delivery systems and deepening collaboration with religious institutions, private organisations, development partners and citizens. Over 64 years, the health sector has grown significantly.
The number of health facilities has risen to 8,537, up from 1,343 in 1960, an increase of 84.26 per cent.
Government ownership accounts for 64 per cent of these facilities, while religious institutions own 9 per cent and private institutions 27 per cent.
Today, Tanzania has 7,242 dispensaries, 926 health centres, 178 district hospitals and 151 other hospitals.
The country also boasts 28 specialised regional hospitals, six zonal hospitals, five hospitals offering specialised services and one national hospital— Muhimbili National Hospital.
According to the Ministry of Health, total bed capacity has risen to 90,488, an increase of 71,656 beds (79.18 per cent).
The ratio of health centres to population has improved significantly to one centre for every 6,751.5 people, compared to the pre-independence ratio of one centre per 40,000–50,000 people. This progress reflects Tanzania’s attainment of key United Nations benchmarks for health service availability.
The hospital bed ratio has also improved, now standing at one bed for every 637 people, a marked improvement from 1:1,000 before independence.
The government continues to expand investment to further enhance service delivery. In recent years, the availability of modern diagnostic equipment has risen sharply.
MRI machines have increased from seven to 13, CT scanners from 12 to 45, digital X-ray machines from 147 to 346, ultrasound machines from 476 to 668, echocardiogram units from 95 to 102 and Cathlab facilities from one to four.
The introduction of a PET scan machine previously unavailable in the country marks another milestone in diagnostic advancement.
These investments have enabled Tanzanians to access affordable specialised and super-specialised services domestically.
Procedures such as kidney transplants, cochlear implants, bone marrow transplants and interventional radiology, once only obtainable abroad, are now available at Muhimbili National Hospital.
This expansion has also boosted medical tourism, with international patient numbers rising from 5,705 in 2022 to 7,843 in 2024.
The Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) has significantly expanded cardiovascular services, handling complex cases that were formerly referred outside the country.
JKCI now serves patients from mainland Tanzania, Zanzibar and neighbouring countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Comoros, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda and Burundi.
The Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) has likewise benefitted from substantial government investment, acquiring modern equipment for cancer diagnosis and treatment. ORCI currently provides chemotherapy to up to 300 patients daily, with medicines for major cancer types consistently available.
Meanwhile, the Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute (MOI) continues to deliver specialised services using state-of-the-art equipment to ensure high-quality care.