Invest in medical manufacturing, health experts recommenD

ARUSHA: THE government has urged specialist and super-specialist doctors, nurses and other health professionals to invest in pharmaceutical and medical equipment manufacturing, saying the move will not only increase their incomes but also strengthen Tanzania’s drive towards a selfreliant healthcare system.

Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Mr Emmanuel Tayari, made the call while launching the 2026 Specialised Medical and Surgical Camp at Mount Meru Regional Referral Hospital in Arusha on Monday.

The 10-day camp has been organised by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC).

Mr Tayari said the government has already begun investing in pharmaceutical and medical equipment manufacturing, encouraging health professionals to acquire ownership stakes in such industries through their Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOS) and professional associations.

“I would like to see our doctors become not only healthcare professionals but also investors. In many developed countries, researchers and health professionals own major pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies. We can do the same in Tanzania,” he said.

He warned that without active participation by Tanzanian health professionals, industries established in the country could end up being dominated by foreign investors, leaving local experts as employees instead of being shareholders.

“The government is ready to work with health professionals to identify the best mechanisms for implementing this initiative,” Mr Tayari said.

He said the government continues to strengthen specialised healthcare services across the country through investments in major surgery, orthopaedics, kidney and cancer treatment, neurosurgery, neurological services, maternal and child healthcare, among other specialised services.

However, Mr Tayari emphasised that while medical camps play an important role in improving access to specialised care, they should not be viewed as a permanent solution.

“Our goal is to establish a healthcare system where specialised services are available every day in our hospitals, rather than relying on periodic medical camps,” he said.

Speaking at the event, Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute (MOI) Executive Director, Dr Mpoki Ulisubisya, said the success of the camp would be measured not only by the number of patients treated or surgeries performed but also by its longterm impact on the country’s health system.

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For his part, ECSA-HC Director General Dr Ntuli Kapologwe said the medical camp forms part of the regional body’s efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery through collaboration among member states. He revealed that ECSAHC had donated medicines and medical equipment worth more than 94.6m/- to support the camp.

According to Dr Kapologwe, the programme was jointly organised by ECSAHC, the Ministry of Health and other development partners, bringing together specialist and super-specialist doctors from several countries to provide highly specialised medical services.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Health’s Director of Curative Services, Dr Hamad Nyembea, said the government’s participation underscores its commitment to expanding access to quality specialised healthcare.

He said continued collaboration between the government, ECSA-HC and development partners has strengthened the capacity of healthcare professionals while improving the availability of specialised medical services for Tanzanians.