DAR ES SALAAM, July 23– Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Wednesday called on African countries to scale up domestic investment in the health sector to build resilient, sustainable and self-reliant health systems, according to an official statement.
The statement, issued by the Directorate of Presidential Communications, said the president made the call while addressing a special summit of the African Union heads of state and government on health held in Accra, Ghana.
Hassan said Tanzania has already integrated the African Union Health Strategy 2030 into its new Five-Year Development Plan, prioritizing pharmaceutical manufacturing, strengthening health systems and enhancing national self-sufficiency.
“Africa has the knowledge, human resources and capacity to transform its health systems. What we need now is strong political will, domestic investment and continental solidarity,” she said.
The statement noted that the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority has attained the World Health Organization’s Maturity Level 3, boosting prospects for local production of quality medicines.
According to Hassan, Tanzania has constructed 119 district hospitals, 649 health centers and more than 2,700 dispensaries, increasing the number of health service delivery points from about 10,000 to 13,700 by March 2026.
She said the improvements had contributed to increased access to skilled health care services, with the share of deliveries conducted at health facilities rising from 65 percent to 86 percent. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
