KATAVI: PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan reaffirmed the government’s steadfast commitment to bringing healthcare services closer to all citizens.
Speaking on Saturday shortly after inspecting the progress and the construction of the Katavi Regional Referral Hospital in Katavi Region, President Samia expressed satisfaction with the quality of medical care being provided at the health facilities.
Guided by the 2020/2025 election manifesto of the ruling party CCM, the government’s plan aims to improve access to high-quality healthcare in both rural and urban areas.
President Samia said the presence of quality health care in various regions across the country, signifies achievements of the sixth-phase government in realising equitable construction of hospitals so that all citizens can access the quality services.
She said the government is aware that the Katavi Regional Referral Hospital has been offering services just after implementation of its first phase. In that regard, she said the government has already disbursed funds for the phase two and another amount will be allocated for the third phase.
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Dr Samia said upon fully execution of the phase two and three later on, the infrastructure including buildings will strengthen the hospital’s capacity to admit and attend more patients.
“We shall ensure the project is executed to complement the government’s efforts on bringing health care closer to citizens,” Dr Samia said.
“As we know, referral hospitals like this, we used to hear them in other regions like Dar es Salaam, Mwanza and Arusha but today the same hospital is in Katavi, this is the significant milestone.
” She said she was delighted after finding that the hospital is installed with modern machines, urging the Katavi Regional Medical Officers (RMO) to ensure that all health experts including doctors in the hospital provide quality services by using the available medical equipment.
She said apart from constructing the referral hospital in the region, the government also has built district hospitals, dispensaries and health centres, adding that the country’s under her leadership is doing what it takes to transform health services.
She said the referral hospital will provide relief to all Katavi residents, who used to travel long distance in search for medical health services outside the region, incurring high costs and time wastage.
In another development, President Samia described Karema Port on Lake Tanganyika as strategically vital for stimulating socio-economic growth for Tanzania, as well as neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Zambia and Burundi.
“I know the potential economic viability of Karema Port and its multiplier effects to societies. It is a very strategic connection to DRC, Zambia and Burundi,” she said, noting that the port was instrumental for stimulating business growth of four counties.
Speaking here during the closing of the ruling CCM’s Parents’ Wing celebrations, Dr Samia the port would continue to be the centre of businesses among people of four counties, sharing Lake Tanganyika.
“I know and I heard your cry or desire of getting a passenger ship. I cannot promise now until the work going on at other ports were completed, but, the government will work on it,” President Samia explained.
She also pointed out the major reason for suspending fishing activities in Lake Tanganyika for three months, saying it was purely to give room for fish reproduction since their population was declining.
“We responded swiftly on experts’ opinions that suspending fishing activities for a while would be a panacea for the problem. We did the same for the Lake Victoria in the past and people are enjoying lucrative business,” she said.
The government through Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) invested heavily on the Karema Port injecting 47.6bn/- that helped to overhaul the port to become the modern port with modern infrastructure in Great Lakes.
