Muhimbili National Hospital; the Epitome of Health Reforms in Tanzania

 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.

New CT-Scan at Muhimbili

Minister of Health, Ummy Mwalimu.

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.