Tanzania expands cancer care and seeks regional leadership
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Vice-President Deogratius Ndejembi announced Tanzania’s progress in cancer care while speaking at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Scientific Forum in Vienna, Austria.
He stated that Tanzania, under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, prioritises health and has increased investment in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The country reports an increase in HPV vaccine coverage among girls aged nine to 14, rising from 58 percent in 2018 to 98 percent this year. Tanzania is also expanding its cancer treatment infrastructure.
The number of centres offering radiotherapy will increase from three in 2020 to six by 2026, expanding access to the service to 26 percent of the population and benefiting around 6,500 patients. By 2030, Tanzania plans to establish nine comprehensive cancer care centres across the country, bringing specialised services closer to local communities. Furthermore, Tanzania is investing in advanced medical technologies, becoming one of the first ten African countries to offer PET-Scan linked to a cyclotron for advanced cancer diagnosis.
Between 2021 and 2026, Tanzania significantly increased its supply of key diagnostic machines, including MRI, LINAC, CT scanners, mammography machines, and digital X-ray machines. Tanzania requested the IAEA to designate the Ocean Road Cancer Institute as a Cancer Centre of Excellence to train specialists from other sub-Saharan African countries.
