Revealed: Zanzibar has only one heart surgeon

Zanzibar. Zanzibar is facing a shortage of heart disease specialists, with only four cardiologists in the region and just one capable of performing heart surgery.

This situation was revealed during the launch of Heart Team Africa - Cardiotan 2025 Conference and preliminary life-saving training for various sectors, including tourism.

The training was organised in collaboration with the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) and the Ministry of Health.

Speaking at the launch on 24 February 2025, Zanzibar’s Director General of the Ministry of Health, Dr Amour Suleiman Muhamed, expressed concern over the state of heart health services, noting that heart disease-related deaths are largely due to the shortage of specialists.

He said it was important to have more and well trained professionals to ensure reliable cardiac treatment services in the isles.

"Currently, Zanzibar has only four cardiologists, but only one can perform heart surgery. This shows that we still have a long way to go in encouraging more people to specialise in this field to save lives," he said.

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Meanwhile, Acting Executive Director of JKCI, Dr Tatizo Waane, reaffirmed the institution's commitment to advancing heart disease diagnosis, treatment, and research in Tanzania.

The upcoming cardiology conference, scheduled for 10–12 April 2025 in Zanzibar, will gather heart specialists from various countries to discuss advancements in heart disease treatment and diagnostics.

Zanzibar’s Minister of Health, Ahmed Nassor Mazrui, emphasised the importance of emergency and rescue services, highlighting JKCI's collaboration with the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation to train healthcare workers, hotel employees, and community service providers in life-saving skills.

He noted that improved emergency healthcare infrastructure would boost Zanzibar’s economy by attracting more tourists.