Parliament hails Samia as BMH expands specialist care

DODOMA : THE Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and HIV/AIDS has praised President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan for what it described as transformative progress in Tanzania’s health sector, particularly at Benjamin Mkapa Hospital (BMH), where access to highly specialised medical care has expanded significantly in recent years. Information availed to this journalist by BMH shows that the committee made the remarks during a visit to the hospital on Tuesday to assess service delivery and inspect ongoing development projects. Speaking after the visit, committee chairperson Dr Johannes Lukumay said members were impressed by the hospital’s rapid growth in specialised and super specialised services, many of which were previously unavailable in the country and forced patients to seek treatment abroad at great expense. He said BMH now provides 20 specialised services and 17 super specialised services, including paediatric bone marrow transplantation and kidney transplantation, enabling more Tanzanians to receive advanced treatment closer to home. “We congratulate the government for the remarkable progress achieved in the health sector. The current direction should be to strengthen local production of medicines and medical equipment to reduce dependence on imports,” said Dr Lukumay. He noted that investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing and medical equipment production would not only improve the availability of critical health supplies but also create jobs and stimulate economic growth. Dr Lukumay further urged the government to continue advancing universal health insurance, saying it would help guarantee access to healthcare for all citizens, especially those battling chronic and expensive illnesses. “Universal health insurance is important because it will ensure that all groups in society can access quality healthcare services, including treatment for serious conditions such as kidney disease, heart ailments, diabetes and other long term illnesses,” he said. Meanwhile, Deputy Minister for Health Dr. Florence Samizi said the ministry is closely overseeing the implementation of a Sh32 billion specialised cancer treatment and training centre currently under construction at BMH. She said the government remains committed to ensuring the project is completed on schedule and that all necessary medical equipment is installed immediately after construction is finalised. According to Dr. Samizi, the facility is part of broader government efforts to decentralise advanced cancer treatment services and improve access to specialised care across the country. On his part, BMH Executive Director Prof. Abel Makubi said the hospital has recorded remarkable growth in specialised healthcare services under President Samia’s administration. He revealed that approximately 60 percent of the hospital’s specialised and super specialised services have been introduced during her tenure, underscoring the government’s commitment to strengthening Tanzania’s capacity to provide advanced medical care locally. Prof. Makubi said the expansion has improved treatment outcomes, reduced the need for overseas referrals and strengthened BMH’s position as one of Tanzania’s leading centres for specialised healthcare. The post Parliament hails Samia as BMH expands specialist care first appeared on Daily News . The post Parliament hails Samia as BMH expands specialist care appeared first on Daily News .