Dodoma — Government's efforts to bring specialised and super specialised services closer to the people is gathering momentum with Dodoma based Benjamin Mkapa Hospital (BMH) planning to establish a kidney transplant complex and cardiovascular and thoracic centres in this financial year.
BMH Chief Executive Officer, Alphonce Chandika said the kidney transplant complex will cater for all the kidney related services under one roof for increased efficiency.
Dr Chandika said the complex structure once will include a theatre room, laboratories, pharmacy, intensive care units (ICUs) , consultation and rooms for kidney donors and recipients among others.
"The government investment in the field is aimed at saving time, controlling interactions of patients and those waiting for patients to undergo the procedure and also make all the needed equipment to be accessible in one roof," he pointed out.
In the 2022/23 financial year, the hospital conducted eight-kidney transplants at 288m/- and in the process the government saved 312m/- the patients could have spent to get the same services outside the country.
Commenting on cardiovascular and thoracic centre, Dr Chandika said the construction of the centre will commence in this financial year, adding: "The centre will provide relief to patients from the
neighbouring regions who would have been forced to travel to Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) in Dar es Salaam to access the services. BMH will be an option given the number of patients suffering from cardiovascular related complications that has increased due to lifestyle."
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In a related development, the hospital's CEO noted that the institution caters for patients from almost ten regions, adding that they plan to spend 18bn/- allocated in 2023/24 budget for further improvements.
On the Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Centre being built at the institution, he said their constructions have reached 27 per cent and they will be a relief to cancer patients also from the neighbouring regions and in turn reduce congestions at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Dar es Salaam.
In the 2022/23 financial year, the government allocated 10bn/- for the construction of the Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Centre expressing optimism that it will be completed in the 2023/24 financial year.
In the same vein, the BMH will be given an additional of 4bn/- for the completion of the centre.
"The Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Centre will be a blessing to patients in the Central, Lake, Southern Highlands and Eastern Zones who will easily access the cancer treatment services due to the geographical position of the BMH," said Dr Chandika.
He said the country is experiencing an increasing number of cancer patients and in response, the sixth phase government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan decision to invest in the centre construction is important as health services are some of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as in the implementation of CCM-election manifesto.
In the 2023/24 financial year, the government has allocated a 64.5bn/- budget for the BMH.
