DODOMA: THE Tanzanian Government has embarked on deliberate measures to enhance cancer treatment services across the country by strengthening regional referral hospitals.
This initiative follows the allocation of over 8bn/- to upgrade the Cancer Unit at Bugando Zonal Referral Hospital, in Mwanza Region.
The move aims to ease the burden on cancer patients who have been forced to travel long distances to access treatment at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Dar es Salaam. According to the government, patients will now receive treatment at their respective zonal hospitals, with only a few requiring special referral being allowed to seek services at Ocean Road.
This announcement was made by Deputy Minister for Health, Dr. Godwin Mollel, while addressing Parliament in Dodoma. He was responding to a question posed by Ukerewe MP, Joseph Mkundi, who sought to know why the government had not upgraded the cancer unit at Bugando Hospital to reduce the congestion of patients traveling to Dar es Salaam for treatment.
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Dr. Mollel stated that the question has been raised several times, prompting the government to conduct a study which revealed that a significant number of cancer patients treated at Ocean Road come from the Northern Zone. Nevertheless, the government did not remain passive and has already taken action by allocating TZS 8 billion to improve the cancer unit at Bugando.
This development is part of a broader government strategy to ensure health services—especially for chronic illnesses like cancer—are more accessible and efficiently delivered across all regions of the country.
