Poor-quality care killing more people than diseases, experts warn

Poor-quality healthcare is causing more preventable deaths than many diseases themselves, health experts have warned, cautioning that expanding access to medical services without improving standards could undermine efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The warning was issued last week during the 2026 Scientific Conference jointly organised by Aga Khan Hospital, Dar es Salaam, and Aga Khan University (AKU), which brought together policymakers, researchers, clinicians and other stakeholders to discuss ways of improving healthcare quality in Tanzania. “Studies have shown that more people die because of poor-quality healthcare than from diseases themselves. This demonstrates why quality must be at the centre of healthcare delivery,” said healthcare quality specialist Dr Meshack Shemwela.