Tanzania: Hope for kidney patients as 60 dialysis machines expected from Saudi Arabia

Dodoma. The government said on Tuesday, May 21, that it ordered for 60 dialysis machines from Saudi Arabia.

The Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children Ms UmmyMwalimu told the National Assembly in Dodoma that the machines would be brought into the country any time from now.

However, Ms Mwalimu noted that the country was still facing shortage of experts who can operate the machines. She was peaking during the question and answer session.

She told lawmakers that the government has already embarked on supporting training of the experts in that field in Saudi Arabia.

The minister revealed this as she was responding to a question raised by an MP Venance Mwamoto (CCM) who sought to know when the government would purchase and distribute dialysis machines at regional hospitals across the country.

Ms Mwalimu said that the machines, if brought into the country, would be supplied to health facilities facing shortage of dialysis services.

She said the machines would be installed in hard-to reach facilities where people usually travel long distances to access the services.

Meanwhile, she added that the government has already purchased 50 ambulance vehicles and has ordered for more.