The Government of Tanzania has announced plans to establish a new institute dedicated to providing specialized brain and nerve surgery services. The move aims to enhance the quality of care for complex procedures, which were previously handled by the Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute (MOI). MOI will now focus solely on orthopaedic surgery.
The announcement was made by Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu during the launch of the Tanzania Neurosurgical Society (TNS), an association of neurosurgeons. The event took place in Dar Es Salaam on April 27, 2024.
“The goal of this society is to support the government’s efforts in ensuring that Tanzanians have access to quality and safe brain and nerve surgery services, including the availability of neurosurgeons,” said Minister Mwalimu.
Tanzania currently has only 25 neurosurgeons, a number far below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of one neurosurgeon per 150,000 people. This translates to one neurosurgeon serving approximately 2.4 million Tanzanians.
“This means that these services are still out of reach for many Tanzanians,” explained Minister Mwalimu. “The establishment of this new institute and the formation of the TNS will address this shortage and improve access to specialized care.”
She said the government is also placing a strong emphasis on continuing education in surgical specialties, including neurosurgery, neuro-radiology, neuropathology, neuro-anesthesiology, critical care, neurology, and neuro-rehabilitation.
Furthermore, the government is expanding access to diagnostic services by installing CT scanners in all regional referral hospitals and integrating MRI and angiography services into advanced centers. This will allow Tanzanians to receive these crucial diagnostic tests within the country.
