KAGERA: THE government plans to initiate the process for the construction of a special hospital for disease outbreaks and a central disease diagnostic centre in the Kagera Region.
This move is prompted by the region’s proximity to countries with a history of frequent disease outbreaks.
This was said recently in Kagera by Minister for Health, Ms Jenista Mhagama during a ceremony to hand over equipment worth 674.3m-/ to support community health workers in seven regions including Njombe,Coast, Kigoma, Ruvuma, Songwe, Lindi and Kagera.
“I have already visited the areas where these facilities will be built, they are suitable for the construction of the hospital and the diagnostic centre for epidemics,” said Minister Mhagama.
“The government has directed that we must now have a specialised hospital for epidemics in this region because, as you all know, most of these outbreaks often originate here due to climate change and other geographical factors. I have already visited strategic areas and confirmed their suitability for constructing the hospital and the diagnostic centre,” said Ms Mhagama.
She added, “We have already started discussions with various development partners who are ready to collaborate with us to ensure the government’s plan to establish this specialised hospital in Kagera is implemented”.
Commenting on community health worker programme, Ms Mhagama said that it is a national initiative led by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, aiming to have approximately 137,294 such workers countrywide by 2028 to reduce disease prevalence.
She said the handedover equipment includes special work shoes, umbrellas, bags and uniforms designed to identify community health workers, noting that each village will be assigned two community health workers (male and female).
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Moreover, Ms Mhagama said that the government has made significant achievements in healthcare services, including the availability of medicines and medical equipment featuring advanced technology.
“Currently, there is an increase in diagnostic machines, including 14 MRI scanners, 45 CT-Scans, 439 Digital X-Rays, over 600 Ultrasounds and 1 new PETScan machine worth over 18bn/- installed at Ocean Road Cancer Institute to treat cancer patients,” said Ms Mhagama.
She said the devices require specialised experts, noting that the government has allocated 30bn/- to train specialists and experts in health-related fields, including radiologists and anesthesiologists.
On her part, Kagera Regional Commissioner Fatma Mwasa, expressed gratitude to the government for continuing to strengthen the health sector in the region including healthcare infrastructure and ensuring the availability of medicines, equipment, and medical supplies to serve the residents.
