BMH marks decade of excellence
DODOMA: THE government’s investment of about 230bn/- in infrastructure and modern equipment at the Benjamin Mkapa Hospital (BMH) in Dodoma has significantly enhanced the facility’s services and earned it international recognition within just ten years of operation.
This was revealed on Monday in Dodoma during the hospital’s 10th-anniversary celebrations. According to BMH Executive Director, Prof Abel Makubi, the celebrations will run for four months and include the provision of free health services to citizens, such as medical check-ups.
Addressing the public at Nyerere Square in the capital city, Prof Makubi said the hospital has earned international acclaim due to its provision of specialised and super-specialised healthcare services.
“In a decade, we have achieved so much, but one of the most notable milestones is our ability to provide specialised and super-specialised healthcare services. We have successfully performed kidney and bone marrow transplants on 21 children diagnosed with sickle cell disease, marking a transformational moment in the country’s healthcare journey,” Prof Makubi said.
He extended his appreciation to the government, noting that 75 per cent of the treatment costs for the 21 children were covered by President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
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“We are also proud of the services we offer at BMH. We have improved our customer service desk, reduced waiting time for patients and enhanced the availability of medicine and medical equipment.
This is why we were named the best zonal hospital,” he added. Reflecting on the hospital’s early years, Prof Makubi said that in 2015, BMH attended to only 50 to 80 patients per day.
Currently, the hospital serves between 1,000 and 1,200 patients daily. Looking ahead, he pledged to continue working closely with the government to promote medical tourism through infrastructure expansion and further improvement of healthcare services.
Welcoming Dodoma Regional Commissioner Ms Rosemary Senyamule to the event, Regional Administrative Secretary, Dr Khatib Kazungu, urged the BMH management to collaborate with his office to realise the hospital’s ambitions in medical tourism.
In her remarks, the Regional Commissioner commended the hospital’s achievements, saying BMH has significantly contributed to the implementation of national plans related to medical tourism.
“Through BMH, the government has saved a considerable amount of money that would have otherwise been spent on treatment abroad,” she noted.
She also highlighted the benefits of regular medical camps conducted by the hospital, citing the recent free eye checkup as an example.
BMH has been actively promoting medical tourism by showcasing its specialised and super-specialised services to other African countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Comoros as well as to international audiences in Turkey, the United States, the Netherlands, Austria and Middle Eastern countries such as Kuwait.
From 2021 to 2025, the hospital, which is now on the verge of becoming a national hospital, conducted a total of 72 outreach programmes across various regions, including Dodoma, Tanga, Katavi, Manyara, Iringa, Njombe, Tabora and Zanzibar, serving a total of 18,580 patients.
