Deputy Speaker Zungu urges public to embrace culture of giving

DODOMA: DEPUTY Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Mussa Zungu, has called on members of the public to embrace a spirit of giving to support vulnerable groups in society, particularly those in need of medical care.

“My appeal to the public is this: giving is a responsibility and a source of comfort. When you are blessed, share what you have—God will bless you even more,” said Mr Zungu during an event organised by the Shree Jalaram Seva Mandal yesterday in Dar es Salaam to support the free treatment of 33 patients from various regions across the country.

He praised the Shree Jalaram Seva Mandal for working in alignment with the efforts of President Samia Suluhu Hassan to improve the delivery of healthcare services across the country.

“We are truly grateful to these stakeholders who are stepping in to support patients. They deserve to be commended for their generosity. President Samia has done a tremendous job in improving health service infrastructure. Today, every district has a major health centre. In Ilala District alone, we have no fewer than five health facilities providing essential services to our people,” he noted.

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Mr Zungu also urged patients receiving support to strictly follow medical instructions to avoid recurrence of illness, which often results in higher treatment costs.

During the event, Mr Saidi Mkika, an official from the Shree Jalaram Seva Mandal, said the initiative aims to assist those who cannot afford high-cost treatments. He revealed that the 33 patients receiving support at the event require a combined treatment cost of 40m/-.

“Our organisation has been offering support to various patients. In the past three months alone, we assisted 37 patients whose treatments cost around 51m/-. We appeal to more individuals and organisations to join this noble cause, as some treatments are very expensive,” Mr Mkika explained.

He highlighted some of the health challenges faced by the patients, including prostate conditions among men and blocked reproductive tubes among women— both of which have become increasingly common and costly to treat.

The patients come from different regions of Tanzania, he added.

Mr Mkika said patients wishing to benefit from the programme must obtain an introductory letter from their local government offices and forward it to the organisation for consideration.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr Hassan Maulid, a resident of Buguruni in Dar es Salaam, expressed gratitude for the assistance.

“I am very thankful for this support. For low-income earners like us, this means a lot. I urge the government and other stakeholders to continue supporting people in need,” he said.