Govt recruits 6,450 nurses, pledges more hiring
DODOMA: THE government recruited 11,198 health workers, including 6,450 nurses, during the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years, pledging to continue recruitment in 2026/27 to address staffing shortages in health facilities across the country.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PMO-RALG), Dr Jafar Seif, told the august House yesterday that the recruited health workers had been deployed to Local Government Authorities (LGAs).
He was responding to a basic question from Special Seats MP (CCM), Amina Said, who sought to know the government’s plans to ensure adequate numbers of health workers at health centres across the country.
“During the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years, the government recruited a total of 11,198 health workers and deployed them to Local Government Authorities. Of these, 6,450 were nurses,” Dr Seif said.
He said the government recognised the shortage of health workers at healthcare facilities, particularly nurses, whom he described as vital to primary healthcare service delivery.
In a supplementary question, Special Seats MP (CCM), Esther Midimu, asked when the government would deploy adequate numbers of health workers to address significant shortages reported at district hospitals, health centres and dispensaries in her region.
Responding, Dr Seif said the government was taking measures to ensure that the availability and distribution of health workers corresponded with the number of healthcare facilities constructed following substantial investment in health infrastructure.
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“I want to assure the public that the government will continue to ensure a more equitable distribution of health workers across the country so that the infrastructure that has been built is used effectively and citizens receive quality healthcare services, particularly at the primary healthcare level,” he said.
He added that the Sixth Phase Government, under the leadership of President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, has invested in the construction and improvement of health infrastructure in constituencies, councils and wards across the country.
According to Dr Seif, the investments has increased demand for health workers to ensure that the facilities operated efficiently and provided effective services.
In another supplementary question, Bunda Urban legislator (CCM), Esther Bulaya, raised concerns over the shortage of doctors and nurses in the constituency.
Ms Bulaya said the constituency required about 854 health workers but had only 384, leaving a shortfall of 470.
In response, Dr Seif said the government continues to receive and analyse reports on staffing requirements and shortages in various parts of the country, including local government councils.
“The government continues to recruit health workers, and President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan issued recruitment permits for an initial intake of 5,000 doctors nationwide,” he said.
Dr Seif explained that further recruitment and deployment would be guided by staffing needs in the respective areas, the availability of recruitment permits and financial resources.
