Aga Khan Hospital and Dar RC reinforce initiatives for medical tourism

The Government of Tanzania and the Aga Khan Hospital are reinforcing their Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives to achieve a medical tourism goal.

Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila said on October 5, 2023, that the government has a lot to learn from Aga Khan's model and structure in healthcare service delivery.

"From today's visit, we have a thing or two to learn. We have witnessed Aga Khan's sections, including their ICU, which we can also have in our government hospitals," said Chalamila.

He added that Aga Khan's model infrastructure and facilities go hand in hand with the government's intentions for Tanzania to become a medical tourist hub.

"There is a need to also learn and adopt their model, including how clean and well organised the hospital is, from the outside environment to the facilities at the hospital," added Chalamila.

Aga Khan Hospital representatives highlighted the hospital's dedication to providing top-tier medical services over the years, as well as its commitment to world-class healthcare, investment in cutting-edge medical technology, modern infrastructure, and a team of highly skilled health professionals.

Gynaecologist and head of department, Dr. Mariam Noorani, noted that the hospital not only delivers health services to its hospitals and health centres but also works with the community, government, different hospitals, and other stakeholders.

"Over the years, we have worked to improve patient welfare, mother and child health, and meet our clients where they are through our special cars for uneasy-access areas in partnership with other stakeholders, including the government," she said.

Consultant Paediatric and Head of Paediatric Department at Aga Khan Hospital, Dr. Mariam Noorani, explained,

"We have five big hospitals in East Africa and over 130 health centres across the country. Aga Khan is a hospital that delivers not only high-quality healthcare services but also has a responsibility to ensure the community's health and welfare in general,"

The visit was to witness medical facilities and technology at AKH, emphasising the hospital's role in complementing government efforts in primary healthcare services.

The RC also discussed new areas of collaboration to further enhance healthcare delivery in the region.

"In most of the government's hospitals and health centres, Aga Khan played a part in capacity building for healthcare providers, facilities, and needed equipment, including the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Amana Hospital," said Chalamila.

Chief Executive Officer of Aga Khan Health Service, Sisawo Konteh, emphasised the hospital's role in reversing medical tourism trends.

"We remain dedicated to providing top-tier healthcare services and contributing to the well-being of the community it serves. PPP has always been our commitment," he added.

During discussions with the hospital leadership, Mr. Chalamila provided valuable feedback and explored potential avenues for collaboration. Key areas of focus included health systems strengthening, capacity building, improving hospital services for public healthcare facilities, emergency care, and joint community health activities to enhance the quality of life for the people of Dar es Salaam and Tanzania at large.

The Aga Khan Hospital, with over 90 years of experience, holds the distinction of being accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI) USA, offering gold-standard, high-quality tertiary-level medical care.

The hospital has been instrumental in postgraduate medical education programmes and has served as a government internship site for over a decade.

The institution has established 28 outreach health facilities across Tanzania, including 14 in Dar es Salaam. Through a robust hub-and-spoke model in partnership with private and government health facilities, it has contributed significantly to healthcare excellence in the region.

As the visit concluded, both parties expressed their commitment to work collaboratively on the agreed-upon initiatives, holding regular meetings and updates to ensure the successful execution of their partnership.