By Special Correspondent, Dar es Salaam
16, May, 2019: In his efforts to
ensure the majority Tanzanians are receiving specialized and quality health
services in the country, President John Magufuli of Tanzania, thrrough the
Ministry of Health, has transformed the
National Referral Hospital, Muhimbili, in Dar es Salaam into one of East Africa’s
hallmark of success in health delivery.
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New CT-Scan at Muhimbili  |
President
Magufuli who believes in the theory thus “good
health, quick development,” is accredited locally and internationally for
implementing great reforms in various sectors in order to make Tanzania achieve
the middle income economy status by 2025.
In a report
released recently, the government dished out a staggering TZS 27.9 billion to
purchase equipment and improve building infrastructures at Muhimbili National Referral
Hospital resulting into the following successes:
#Infrastructure Development
In the past
three years, the facility has constructed, repaired and increased theater rooms
from 13 to 20. Among these, two theatres are for neonatal and kidney transplant.
The Hospital has also increased ICU rooms from 21 to 77 beds which represent
33, 12, 13 and 5 beds designed for adults, children under five, children and
kidney transplant patients respectively.
Moreover,
the facility has repaired and purchased 42 kidney dialysis machines. This is an
increase of 13 machines from the previous ones.
The current number of machines is treating 240 patients a day compared
to 70 patients in the past. Furthermore, ward number 18 has been repaired to
accommodate private patients in 11 rooms.
#Equipment Purchased and Repaired
The facility has also purchased
new brand CT-Scan with the capacity of 126 slices. This machine is attending
many patients in one time. The facility has also purchased a new brand MRI
machine for specialized checkups. Three years before President Magufuli came
into power; these were among the most troublesome equipments at the Hospital.
Moreover, 14 diathermy machines,
16 ventilators, 12 anaesthic machine and auditory brain machines have been
purchased to increase medical services efficiency. In another development, the
hospital has fitted two new brand lifts at Kibasila and Sewahaji wards.
Moreover, the facility has repaired roads within the premises at the cost of TZS
1.2 billion.
#Kidney and Cochlear Transplant
Under Magufuli
Muhimbili National Hospital has restored its capacity to undertake kidney
transplants. The facility in collaboration with Indian experts has transplanted
kidneys to more than 40 patients. The facility aims at transplanting five
patients each month by the end of this year.
According to the
report, one kidney is transplanted at the cost of TZS 21 million at the
facility compared to TZS 80 to 100 million if there same were performed outside
the country. This means that facility has used TZS 798 million instead of TZS 3
billion if transplantation could have been performed outside the country.
That is not
enough, for
the first time in the history of Tanzania, the facility has managed to operate
and implant cochlear to about 20 children who were born with hearing issues at
the cost of TZS 756 million instead of TZS 1.334 billion if the same were operated
outside the country. This means each operation was performed at the cost of TZS
36 million against TZS 100 per patient if performed outside the country.
#Leukaemia
Treatment
For the first
time since independence, the facility has started treating leukaemia to
infected patients. Previously, this service was provided outside the country
and at high costs. The intervention of President Magufuli has saved the
majority poor Tanzanians who dying because of lacking funds for treatments.
Discussing the essence of the
transformation, the Minister of Health and Community Development in Tanzania
thanks the government of President Magufuli for increased the health budget on
essential drugs and equipments from TZS 31bn/- from in 2015 to a staggering 260bn/- in
2018/19 financial year.
“We are at our full swing to
ensure total health delivery in the whole country. Successes witnessed at some
of our facilities such as Muhimbili are just a tip of the iceberg,” says the
Minister.
Muhimbili National Hospital is a
National Referral Hospital, Research Center and University Teaching Hospital
with 1,500 bed facility, attending 1,000 to 1,200 outpatients per day,
admitting 1,000 to 1,200 inpatients per week.
It has 3,000 employees of which 300 are doctors and specialists, 900
registered & enrolled nurses and the rest are supporting operations
employees. It is organized into several directorates which are Medical Services,
Clinical Services, Nursing Services & Quality, Clinical Support Services,
Human Resources, Finance and Planning, Technical Services, and Information
& Communications Technology; it has 29 departments and 107 units.
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