Josephine Christopher is a senior business journalist for The Citizen and Mwananchi newspapers
Mwananchi Communications Limitted
Dar es Salaam. Medical practitioners in Tanzania have been given a one-month extension to comply with mandatory professional registration, following widespread complaints over technical challenges with the online system.
The Medical Council of Tanganyika (MCT) had initially set 31 March 2026 as the deadline for doctors to complete registration on its digital platform.
However, Registrar Dr David Mnzava confirmed on 18 March that the deadline has now been extended to 30 April 2026.
“The extension allows all medical doctors sufficient time to register,” Dr Mnzava said. “We also have a team monitoring the platform to resolve technical issues in real time.”
The decision followed a public notice issued by the council on 17 March regarding the new Health Practitioners Registration System (HPRS).
Many doctors reported difficulties using the system, including repeated failures when uploading documents, slow response times, and incomplete verification despite multiple attempts.
“The system keeps rejecting valid documents—these need fixing before deadlines are enforced,” one practitioner said, echoing concerns shared widely on social media. Others warned that enforcing the original deadline without addressing the issues could prevent qualified doctors from registering, affecting service delivery, particularly in understaffed facilities.
The Medical Association of Tanzania (MAT) had earlier flagged similar challenges and formally recommended that the council extend the deadline.
MAT President Dr Mugisha Nkoronko said complaints were especially common among practitioners in remote areas with limited internet access.
“We have been engaging the council on system inefficiencies and access constraints,” he said. “Compliance is important, but the process must also be practical and inclusive.”
Dr Nkoronko welcomed the extension, noting it provides relief to doctors who were willing to register but had been hindered by technical issues.
He urged continued collaboration between regulators and professional bodies to ensure the registration process is fair and effective.
The registration exercise is part of broader efforts to strengthen oversight, improve accountability and maintain professional standards in the health sector.
By digitising the system, the council aims to create a centralised database of practitioners and streamline administrative processes.
With the new 30 April deadline, authorities are now focused on resolving the technical challenges to ensure that all qualified doctors can complete registration without further obstacles.
