BMH honours Mkapa through outreach programme
DODOMA: RESIDENTS of Masasi District in Mtwara Region are set to benefit from specialised medical services next week under an outreach programme organised by Benjamin Mkapa Hospital (BMH) in collaboration with the Benjamin Mkapa Foundation (BMF).
The initiative forms part of activities marking six years since the death of the third phase president, Benjamin Mkapa, while also celebrating BMH’s 10th anniversary and the Foundation’s 20 years of service.
Speaking to journalists in Dodoma yesterday, BMH Executive Director, Prof Abel Makubi, said the outreach programme will be conducted in Masasi from June 1 to 5, 2026, the birthplace of the late president.
“We expect to provide specialised and super-specialised medical services to wananchi in Masasi from June 1 (tomorrow) to June 5 this year,” Prof Makubi stated.
He noted that BMH bears the name of the late President Mkapa in recognition of his contribution to national development, particularly in the health sector.
“Although it has been six years since his passing, Tanzanians continue to remember him. That is why this year we have decided to join hands with the Benjamin Mkapa Foundation, an institution he also founded,” he explained.
Prof Makubi said that unlike previous commemorations, which largely focused on conferences and meetings, this year’s event will emphasise direct healthcare delivery in line with the late president’s vision of improving access to quality medical services.
The outreach programme will involve specialist doctors and health experts providing screening and treatment services for hypertension, diabetes, heart diseases and cancer. Eye care services, paediatric treatment and public health education will also be offered.
Patients requiring surgical operations will also receive treatment during the medical camp.
“It is a rare opportunity for people in Masasi and neighbouring areas to access specialised medical services closer to their homes,” he said.
Prof Makubi noted that BMH serves patients from across the country, including those from southern regions, hence the decision to take services directly to communities.
He revealed that the outreach will utilise specialised mobile hospital trucks, equipped with operating theatres, patient care facilities and accommodation for medical personnel.
The mobile units, launched last year, are capable of supporting surgical operations even in remote areas through selfsustaining water, storage and power systems.
“These vehicles allow us to deliver specialised healthcare services even in hard-to-reach areas,” he said.
According to Prof Makubi, the mobile outreach programme has already been implemented in Zanzibar, Kondoa, Burundi and several southern regions with support from the Netherlands-based SOTAC organisation.
He urged residents of Masasi and the wider Mtwara Region to turn out in large numbers to benefit from the services.
Meanwhile, SOTAC Director of Operations, Mr Robert-Roel Van den Boss, said the organisation will continue supporting BMH in extending specialised outreach services to remote communities within and outside Tanzania.
“Together with Benjamin Mkapa Hospital, we are able to bring specialised healthcare services to needy people in remote areas,” he added.
