TANZANIANS, especially youths have been urged to shun donating their kidneys for business to avoid serious health complications which may arise.
Vice-President Dr Philip Mpango made the call on Friday after inaugurating a building for dialysis services at St Joseph's Peramiho Referral Hospital, as part of activities of his working tour of Ruvuma Region.
Dr Mpango said such behaviour may endanger human life, especially when the remaining kidney fails to function.
He therefore called upon Tanzanians to build a culture of making regular check up of their health in order to avoid the risk of developing complicated diseases.
The VP added that it is important for people to avoid poor eating habit, excessive use of alcohol and conduct physical exercise in order to avoid ailments that affect kidney.
He also called upon leaders and health experts to continue raising public awareness about kidney disease in order to help them to take preventive measures.
According to the VP, kidney disease is among the ailments leading in causing deaths to many people globally. He added that in Tanzania it is estimated that in every 100 people seven people have chronic kidney disease.
Dr Mpango said that 10 per cent of patients with chronic kidney disease in the country have reached the last stage which requires alternative treatment including dialysis or kidney transplant.
He further said that the government is implementing various interventions with the aim of preventing kidney disease and other Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in which to date more than 20 kidney super specialists and ten nurses have completed training and are currently providing services to various hospitals in the country.
He further detailed that until June this year, the government has succeeded in providing dialysis services to about 3,500 patients and perform kidney transplant to 74 patients at Muhimbili National Hospital and 33 patients at Benjamin Mkapa Zonal Referral Hospital in Dodoma.
Dr Mpango commended St Joseph's Peramiho Referral Hospital for providing dialysis services which will be of help to Ruvuma residents and neighbouring regions.
For her part, Peramiho Member of Parliament Ms Jenista Mhagama, who also doubles as Minister of State, Prime Minister's Office, Policy Coordination and Parliament Affairs, thanked the government for implementing different development projects in the health, education and infrastructure in the region.
She said the government allocated over 400m/-for construction of modern bus stand in Songea Municipality, Ruvuma Region, and construction of dispensaries in about 50 villages.
Meanwhile, Dr Mpango has said that the government will continue improving the health sector by allocating additional budget in order to boost efforts of providing quality services to the citizens.
He made the remarks during the launch of Lilambo Health Centre which has been constructed at a cost of 503m/- in Songea Municipality in Ruvuma Region.
The VP said more efforts are made in increasing medical equipment, training more health experts and increasing the number of ambulances in all health centres across the country.
He urged Lilambo Village residents to appropriately use the health centre, including protecting its infrastructure.
Dr Mpango urged leaders and service providers to make sure that medical equipment are maintained, asking them to fight theft of medicine from public health facilities. Experience shows stolen medicine from public health facilities have been finding their way to private facilities.
He commended all health providers for continuing observing appropriate work ethics and professionalism, noting that it is from their quality services provision citizens can find solution to their health challenges.
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Dr Mpango urged health workers including doctors and nurses across the country to use polite language to the patients especially to expectant mothers.
Moreover, he commended the Ruvuma Regional leaders including ward councillors who set aside a total of 500m/- from their council revenue for the construction of the Lilambo Health Centre.
He urged the regional leaders to continue supervising well and monitoring all the money which will be allocated by the government for implementation of development projects.
Deputy Minister in the President's Office Regional Authorities and Local Government (PORALG), Mr Deogratius Ndejebi said the government has allocated 115bn/- in 2023/2024 financial year for procuring modern hospital equipment.
"Over 916bn/- has been set aside by the government for buying ambulance of which the Songea Municipality will receive two vehicles," he said.
