Dar es Salaam. Aviation professionals in Tanzania will receive free health screening under a new initiative aimed at improving safety in the sector through early detection of medical conditions that could affect performance at work.
The screenings, organised by the Aerospace Medical and Training Centre (AMTC), will start on March 31 at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport in Zanzibar before continuing at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam from April 1 to 2.
The programme will include tests for high blood pressure, blood sugar, malaria, haemoglobin levels, prostate cancer, cervical cancer and breast cancer.
Speaking to journalists in Dar es Salaam, AMTC chief executive officer Nasra Nassor Omar said about 500 aviation professionals are expected to benefit.
She said 200 workers will be screened in Zanzibar, while 300 employees at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 of Julius Nyerere International Airport will receive the services.
“The examinations will help identify health challenges early among aviation professionals. Good health among aviation workers is essential for operational safety,” she said.
Dr Omar noted that the centre is working to strengthen health training in the aviation sector to protect both passengers and staff. Over the past five years, AMTC has trained pilots, cabin crew, aircraft engineers and airport personnel in aerospace medicine and safety procedures.
She said the institution will mark four years since its establishment on April 4, during which it will launch a first-aid guide for use in aviation.
The guide is intended for flight attendants, ground staff, instructors and other aviation stakeholders, and aims to improve emergency response during flights and airport operations.
AMTC will also introduce an online training and examination system to allow aviation professionals to study aerospace medicine, sit for exams and obtain certificates without travelling.
The initiative is expected to make training more accessible and help maintain safety standards in a sector where workers’ health is closely linked to public safety.
