Tanzania public hospitals urged to forge partnerships for specialized healthcare

Tanzanian public hospitals must take the initiative to forge partnerships with development stakeholders to enhance healthcare services, urged Health Minister Mohamed Mchengerwa. Speaking on June 12, 2026, at the inauguration of the Board of Trustees of the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI), Mchengerwa stressed that hospital leaders should actively seek resources rather than await ministry directives.

"We have provided all the necessary support. Go out, engage with partners and explore available opportunities. Do not wait for permission from the ministry," he told hospital managers. He noted that while domestic revenue funds 74 percent of the national budget, development partners contribute significantly, around Sh500 billion annually. The minister highlighted the Sh5.4 billion state-of-the-art laboratory at JKCI as a critical component for introducing advanced heart transplantation services, positioning it as a leading facility in East and Central Africa.

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We have provided all the necessary support. Go out, engage with partners and explore available opportunities. Do not wait for permission from the ministry.

"This facility demonstrates that investment in healthcare is not only about constructing buildings. It is equally about equipping institutions with the technology and systems required to deliver highly specialised services," Mchengerwa stated. The new laboratory will support complex treatments and heart transplantation procedures. JKCI Executive Director Dr. Peter Kisenge reported that the institute, since its 2015 inception, now performs a wide range of specialized cardiac procedures, including open-heart surgery and minimally invasive techniques. This in-country capability has already saved the government over Sh95 billion that would have been spent on overseas treatment.

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This facility demonstrates that investment in healthcare is not only about constructing buildings. It is equally about equipping institutions with the technology and systems required to deliver highly specialised services.