Muhimbili needs upgrading: director

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Muhimbili National Hospital executive director Lawrence Museru has said the hospital needs major rehabilitation and upgrading of its infrastructure.

Dar es Salaam. Muhimbili National Hospital executive director Lawrence Museru has said the hospital needs major rehabilitation and upgrading of its infrastructure.

Prof Museru revealed this on Friday, saying the current infrastructure was getting overwhelmed by the increasing number of patients.

He said, with a 1,500-bed capacity, the hospital needs 60 special beds for admitting patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) but it currently operates with 21 beds only.

According to World Health Organisation standards, 10 per cent of the bed capacity for the national referral hospital is supposed to be set aside for Intensive Care Unit.

The hospital also wants to increase the number of its operating theatres from the current 13 to at least 19. Prof Museru said patients needing surgery were being forced to wait.

 “We have secured a loan from the National Health Insurance Fund to sort out some of the challenges,” said Prof Museru, without revealing the amount secured. Over the last six months, the hospital has been able to double its revenues from Sh2.3 billion per month to more than Sh4.8 billion.