Tanzania’s President, Samia Suluhu Hassan has launched the Lugalo Military Hospital in Dar es Salaam, set to be a supplement to implementing medical tourism programs and reinforcing the nation in the fight against different contagious diseases, as the world still contends with coronavirus pandemic.
The a state-of-the-art facility is an Infectious Disease Centre (IDC) equipped with an excellent laboratory worth US $4.3M that can receive coronavirus patients as well as any other infectious diseases.
The Lugalo Military Hospital is part of a continuation of many schemes the German Federal government has been supporting Tanzania with since 1961 with estimates narrowing to worth US $3bn. German government allocated US $9M for the construction of the hospital.
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Improving health services
“The government has invested in strengthening and improving health services, especially in the construction of infrastructure to provide better health services, increasing health workers and expanding the use of medical equipment nationwide. IDC has strengthened our thinking to fight diseases such as Ebola, AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and coronavirus. The facility is useful and I suppose it will build up the country’s capacity to contain these diseases,” said the head of state.
“Germany is our largest trading and investment partner by 2017, when trade between our countries grew to US $320M and their investment in Tanzania grew by US $2.6bn and provided 14,850 jobs. In addition, the German Armed Forces Technical Advisory Group (GAFTAG) will build also a level 4 military hospital in the capital Dodoma and the peace school in Msata, Bagamoyo. The government will continue to work hard to strengthen our armed forces, including, including ensuring access to modern equipment and looking after your interests,” said Ms Samia.
Germany Ambassador to Tanzania, Ms Regine Hess said the centre can serve as a normal Military Hospital and Military Medical Training Centre and maintain flexibility during the pandemic.
“IDC was not intended as a reaction to coronavirus, it was thought to be an integral element to prepare the Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) for possible international peacekeeping missions and it could also care for military personnel going to or returning from mission in DR Congo where Ebola occur,” said Ms Regine.
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