Tanzania seeks the Comoros medical market, as surgical robots loom
DAR ES SALAAM: A team of specialists from Tanzania will set up a medical camp in the Comoros Islands to provide specialized services to brain and heart patients.
The Chairman of Medical Tourism, Dr. Peter Kisenge, confirmed today, August 9, 2025, that they will soon travel to Comoros to provide specialist and specialized services available in the country, including heart, brain, bone, and other treatments.
The institutions and hospitals that will be involved are the Jakaya Kikwete Heart Institute (JKCI), Muhimbili Bone and Brain Institute (MOI), Ocean Road Cancer Institute, Muhimbili National Hospital, and Benjamini Mkapa Hospital.
Speaking to the Daily News Digital in Dar es Salaam, Dr. Kisenge, who is also the Executive Director of JKCI, said that this will be the second time, while for the first time, they served more than 2,000 people, and 393 patients were referred to Tanzania.
“We are going to Comoros, Anjuani Islands, and these are the instructions of President Samia Suluhu Hassan to expand our institutions and hospitals beyond the borders, and right now we will bring in private hospitals like Rabinisia, Agha Khan, Shefii, and Shufwaa, ” he explained.
He said they are going to help the Comoros people get expert and affordable treatment, and to explain what has been invested in their country in health services.
“When we went to Comoros, we saw 393 patients and patients who received referrals, others we solved their problems there, so far 156 have come here, others are continuing with the procedures, the cost of treatment is 6m/- and up.
Adding, he said, “So far the money collected is 450m/-, but when we went there we spent 150m/-, it is a big profit if we invest more, it will help a lot, people will know what we have
He stressed that President Samia Suluhu Hassan has allocated 9bn/- to strengthen specialist services, and very large equipment has been purchased for hospitals, including robots that will perform surgeries.
“At MOI, there will be surgical robots; they are attracting people. If you undergo surgery today, after two days you will be discharged, and these are the things that are going to be invested in our hospitals”.
DK Kisenge said that there is currently a significant increase in medical tourism, citing the example of JKCI, which said that in a quarter, they were receiving 191 patients, whereas currently, in each quarter, they receive 393 patients. An increase of more than 35 percent per quarter.
“Since President Samia has invested heavily in medical tourism, it has also strengthened the health sector for his citizens. We have visited Malawi and Congo.
He also explained that they have entered into an agreement with Air Tanzania that goes to Nigeria and various countries, where they have agreed that when they go there, they will bring patients, and they will be offering special packages to those who decide to book Air Tanzania tickets.
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“Let me take this opportunity for the citizens to prepare themselves because we will get tourists, so prepare to have hotels, and food vendors will get money. Countries like India, 30 percent of their economy comes from medical tourism,” he said.
He added, “We want to make Tanzania the India of Africa so we want people to come so the citizens can invest because when these people come, they do not come for treatment, they will do other things, many will do business, and others will go to tourist areas like zoos.”
