Dar es Salaam. Tanzania is seeking to strengthen its position as a medical tourism destination after Aga Khan Hospital (AKH) partnered with India’s Yashoda Group of Hospitals and Tunlink to introduce advanced urology and male reproductive health services.
The partnership is being implemented through a three-day specialised urology camp at AKH in Dar es Salaam, which has also introduced Rezūm water vapour therapy for men suffering from an enlarged prostate.
The minimally invasive procedure, which uses water vapour to target and reduce enlarged prostate tissue, is being offered in Tanzania for the first time.
The initiative has attracted patients from across the region, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, Rwanda and Comoros, while Tanzanian patients from Mbeya, the Lake Zone, Dodoma, Dar es Salaam and Arusha have also expressed interest.
Consultant Urologist at AKH Dr Isaac Mawalla said the initiative was aimed at expanding access to specialised urological care while strengthening local expertise.
“This camp is an opportunity to provide highly specialised clinical education, expert advice and advanced treatment. Tanzanian men can now access specialised screening and treatment using advanced equipment without having to travel abroad,” he said.
Dr Mawalla said the partnership could help reverse the trend of patients from Tanzania and other East African countries travelling to India and Western countries for specialised treatment.
Head of Clinical Operations at AKH Murtaza Mukhtar said bringing advanced services closer to patients supports the Government’s ambition of positioning Tanzania as a medical tourism hub for East, Central and Southern Africa.
“By providing these specialised services locally, we are reversing medical tourism. This keeps patients closer to their families, reduces the cost of treatment and travel, and contributes to the national economy,” he said.
The introduction of Rezūm therapy provides an additional treatment option for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition in which the prostate enlarges and can obstruct urine flow.
Dr Husam Uddin, a urologist at AKH, said the procedure uses sterile water vapour to target prostate tissue causing the obstruction.
“We are introducing newer techniques that are being used globally. Rezūm therapy is minimally invasive, which can mean fewer complications and a shorter recovery period for suitable patients,” he said.
Beyond treating patients, the partnership is intended to strengthen local capacity and reduce the need for overseas referrals by enabling procedures and follow-up care to be provided in Tanzania.
Yashoda Hospitals Manager for International Services Ujjwai Sharma said the collaboration was designed as a long-term partnership rather than a one-off medical camp.
“Our main objective is to establish a long-term collaboration. Patients do not necessarily need to travel abroad for urological conditions that can be screened and treated locally,” he said.
Mr Sharma said the partnership would also focus on post-treatment follow-up to ensure patients continued to receive appropriate care.
The initiative comes as Tanzania seeks to expand specialised healthcare services and retain spending by patients who would otherwise travel abroad for treatment, while also attracting patients from neighbouring countries.
