Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 27 January 2014 - The Aga Khan Hospital in Dar es Salaam today launched its first Oncology programme as part of the second phase of its TShs 130 billion expansion designed to cover cardiac and other medical specialties.

Oncology clinics, which began in December 2013, have to date carried out over 50 chemotherapy treatments. The Hospital has also significantly invested in enhancing its surgical resources, effectively offering the whole spectrum of cancer services from prevention to palliative care. Oncology is a growing non-communicable disease. In Tanzania each year, 35,000 new cases of cancer are reported.

Aga Khan Hospital’s Oncology programme will be one of the most comprehensive private sector healthcare oncology programmes in Tanzania. The Hospital’s expansion is the largest ever carried out by the Aga Khan Health Services since its opening in 1964 and the single largest private sector investment in healthcare in Tanzania.

Speaking during the launch, Tanzania’s Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Hon. Seif Seleman Rashid, praised the Aga Khan Hospital for its continued support to the people of Tanzania, commending the institution’s long term commitment towards the growth, success and sustainability of quality healthcare. He underscored the importance of supporting and partnering with private healthcare investors in delivering the Government’s healthcare objectives. Dr. Seif added that the Aga Khan Health Services was “a pioneer in providing quality healthcare in Tanzania.”

Princess Zahra Aga Khan, on behalf of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), reiterated the AKDN’s commitment to providing quality healthcare in Tanzania. “Our objective is to create a true integrated system that provides access to quality affordable healthcare.”

Princess Zahra expressed her deep gratitude to the Government of Tanzania as a valued partner, adding that the Network’s ambitious agenda included a vision of creating meaningful and valued partnership with Government. She added that an example of this partnership was the provision of quality maternal and new born child health in several Government district health facilities. Princess Zahra confirmed that in addition to the hospital expansion, the Network intended to establish an additional 30 outreach health centres over the next 5 years. The AKDN, she added, had made a “commitment to being the premier teaching healthcare system in Tanzania”.

Princess Zahra acknowledged the financial contribution of L’Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD)- in supporting the hospital expansion and the outreach facilities, in partnership with AKDN.

NOTES

Established in 1964, Aga Khan Hospital, Dar es Salaam is a private, not-for-profit institution that provides primary and secondary level healthcare services in Tanzania. The Hospital is part of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Health System in eight countries, providing community health programmes covering over 200 health facilities including 12 hospitals. It is one of the most comprehensive private not-for-profit healthcare systems in the developing world. In Tanzania, the Network operates one hospital and six medical centres.

Agence Française de Développement (AFD) is the main implementing agency for France’s official development assistance to developing countries and overseas territories.