Tanzania moves to expand cancer treatment services countrywide to ease congestion at Dar-based ORCI

DODOMA: THE Deputy Minister for Health, Dr Florence Samizi, said the Tanzanian government is continuing to implement strategies to expand cancer treatment services to different parts of the country in a bid to reduce the distance patients travel to access care and ease congestion at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI).

Dr Samizi made the remarks today, August 28, 2026, in Parliament in Dodoma while responding to a question from Welezo MP Asma Mwinyi on the Government’s plans to expand cancer treatment services to other regions of the country.

She said the government was continuing to establish cancer treatment services at Benjamin Mkapa Hospital, where construction and installation work has reached 80 per cent completion at a cost of 28.9bn/-.

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She added that the establishment of cancer treatment services at Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital had reached 60 per cent completion, with the project costing 10bn/-.

Dr Samizi said both projects are expected to be completed by January 2027, a move that will increase access to cancer treatment services in different parts of the country.

The expansion is also expected to reduce the burden on patients travelling long distances to seek specialised cancer care and help ease congestion at ORCI in Dar es Salaam.