Aga Khan inaugurates modern emergency healthcare training centre

Dar es Salaam. Aga Khan Health Services (AKHS) Tanzania has inaugurated the first state-of-the-art emergency training center as part of the public-private partnership towards improving healthcare services in the country.

The launching event on February 16, 2024 went hand in hand with the official handover of vital emergency medical equipment.

The center was constructed under the emergency services project which is funded by the Polish government.

The Polish Centre for International Aid (PCPM), in partnership with the AKHST and the Tanzanian government, is executing a project called ‘Improving Emergency Care in Tanzania’ (IMECT), which is supported by the Polish government through Polish Aid.

Speaking at the event held at the Aga Khan hospital in Dar es Salaam, emergency medicine specialist at AKHST and project coordinator, Dr Hussein Manji said the $71,000 (about Sh182 million) training center stands as a beacon of progress in emergency medical training.

It is equipped with advanced training gear and emergency equipment, setting a new benchmark for emergency care education in Tanzania, the specialist said.

In a significant boost to the country's healthcare infrastructure, he said that the IMECT project has distributed equipment valued at Sh641.3 million to seven healthcare facilities across the country.

Mentioning the facilities, Dr Manji said they are Mwananyamala and Temeke Regional Referral Hospitals, Chanika District Hospital in Dar es Salaam, and Nyamagana District hospital in Mwanza.

Others are the Tanzania-Poland Emergency Medical Training Centre, Aga Khan Hospital Dar es Salaam, Aga Khan Polyclinic, Old Dispensary, Zanzibar, and other polyclinics.

“This substantial contribution underscores the commitment of all stakeholders to improving the quality and accessibility of emergency services,” he said.

“By training Tanzanian healthcare professionals in emergency care courses and equipping facilities with necessary tools, the project aims to make sustainable improvements to emergency care standards and ensure that Tanzanian healthcare professionals are well-equipped to save lives and provide critical care when it matters most,” he added.

The Ambassador of Poland to Tanzania, Mr Krzysztof Buzalski commended the cooperation between Tanzania and his country especially on health matters and even the decision of President Andrzej Duda of Poland to visit the hospital.

President Duda visited the health facility last Friday as part of his two-day visit to Tanzania.

He said that the cooperation aims to ensure that they save the lives of Tanzanians, especially those who have been involved in accidents, and that they get emergency services quickly.

"This is to ensure that the number of emergency service providers increases and help them rescue victims of accidents and disasters," said Mr Buzalski.

For his part, the coordinator of emergency services at the Nyamagana District Hospital, Dr Godfrey Kajumbura said that since its launch, the project has enabled them to train 60 staff to provide emergency services.

"We are the beneficiaries of this project and today we have been provided with equipment for emergency services. This project will help various people in Mwanza City,” said Dr Kajumbura.

He said that since the project is still ongoing, he believes it will reach other regions.

On the other side, the representative of the regional medical officer of Dar es Salaam, Dr Guinini Kamba said that the training center is a boost to the region considering the importance of emergency services.

"We thank all those who funded it, and it will benefit all individuals including even civil servants, due to the cooperation of the government and the Aga Khan," said Dr Kamba.

Since its launch in September 2022, the IMECT project has exemplified the power of international cooperation with its Polish partners and public-private partnerships in addressing critical healthcare needs.