Ongoing surgical outreach program in Arusha, Mtwara eyes to provide super-specialized services to 500 people

ARUSHA: OVER 500 people are expected to receive specialized and super-specialized medical services through a surgical outreach program running from July 20 to July 30, 2026, at Mount Meru Regional Referral Hospital in Arusha and Mtwara Regional Referral Hospital. The initiative is part of the Tanzanian government’s efforts to bring advanced healthcare services closer to communities.

Speaking at the launch of the program, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Pharmaceuticals and Medical Equipment at the Ministry of Health, Emmanuel Tayari, said the outreach focuses on specialist surgical procedures aimed at reducing the backlog of patients awaiting treatment while enabling them to access quality care without traveling long distances.

“The government is committed to ensuring that specialized medical expertise reaches citizens where they live, rather than forcing them to travel far to receive care,” Tayari said. “Access to quality healthcare should not be determined by where a person lives or by their financial means.”

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He noted that for many years, some patients were forced to travel long distances to seek specialist treatment, while others experienced delays in receiving care or even sold personal assets to cover medical expenses. Through the outreach camps, the government aims to eliminate these barriers by delivering specialist healthcare services closer to local communities.

Tayari also expressed appreciation to the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA Health Community) for its technical and strategic support in organizing the outreach program. He emphasized that addressing healthcare challenges requires regional collaboration that facilitates the exchange of medical specialists, knowledge, technology, and professional experience.

He added that the success of the initiative would not be measured solely by the number of surgeries performed, but also by the skills and expertise transferred to local healthcare professionals, enabling them to continue providing specialist surgical services long after the outreach program concludes.