THE government has released a total of 4.9 bn/- for the construction of four dialysis centres and rehabilitation of seven buildings in 11 hospitals in the country.
Equally, the government has launched the second phase expansion of services in its health facilities whereby to date 11 water machines have been installed at Mwananyamala, Songea, Morogoro, Temeke, Amana, Tumbi, Mawenzi, Chato, Dodoma, AICC-Arusha and Mbeya hospitals.
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Aifello Sichalwe made the revelations during the commemoration of the World Kidney Day held at Tumbi Regional Referral Hospital in Kibaha Town on Thursday.
Dr Sichalwe said that until January 31 this year a total of 2,750 kidney patients which is equivalent to 32 percent have accessed dialysis services and other 325 have undergone kidney transplantations.
He said that of the 325 patients who undergone kidney transplant 93 of them received the service within the country in which 67 of them were treated at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) and other 26 at Benjamin Mkapa Hospital in Dodoma region.
He noted that, studies indicate there are about 5,800 to 8,500 Tanzanians who are in need of dialysis services or kidney transplantation.
“The government target is to ensure that by June, 2023 all referral hospitals in the country will be proving dialysis services so as to move the services closer to the people and increasing the number of individuals who are accessing dialysis services from 32 percent to 50 percent “, he said .
For his part, Deputy Director for Non Communicable Diseases in the Ministry of Health Dr James Kyologwe said that the government has been emphasizing on the need for people to go for regular health checkups and get treatments on time.
He said, “it is very important to have regular health checkups to avoid serious complications which can lead to death. He noted that 64 percent of people who are suffering from diabetes the country are unaware of their health status”.
Dr Kyologwe went on to say that, the same situation even people who are suffering from high blood pressure majority of them are unaware that they have the disease until they start getting seriously sick.
Earlier, Tumbi Hospital Medical Incharge DrAmani Malima mentioned that the hospital has received kidney machines worth 400m/- which he said will save kidney patients in the region and save time and money which they spent for services outside the area.
Dr. Malima said that during the commemoration of the World Kidney Day about 2,000 individuals visited the hospital for kidney and other diseases checkups whereby medical doctors from various hospitals were present to offer the services free of charge.