Arusha. Tanzania has launched a new digital platform, Ongea na Waziri, enabling citizens to submit feedback and complaints directly to the Minister for Health in a move aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in the health sector.
The platform was officially unveiled on Monday, January 26, 2026, by the Minister for Health, Mr Mohamed Mchengerwa, during a ceremony held at Mount Meru Regional Referral Hospital in Arusha.
The initiative is designed to give citizens a direct voice in assessing the quality of healthcare services while supporting evidence-based improvements in national health policies.
Mr Mchengerwa said the system is built on the principles of accountability, transparency and public participation, noting that regular feedback from service users will help the Ministry continuously review and strengthen health policies and service delivery mechanisms.
Through the platform, citizens can communicate directly with the Ministry of Health via a 24-hour toll-free hotline (199), as well as through WhatsApp, SMS and social media channels, ensuring accessibility for both urban and rural communities.
“We will listen to citizens with respect and respond to their concerns in a timely manner,” said the minister.
“This is a national system that must be interoperable, secure and capable of protecting the privacy of Tanzanians. A health system whose data cannot communicate cannot be improved effectively. Technology will no longer be optional; it will be embedded in our day-to-day operations.”
He said the Ministry would establish clear standards for data governance, information security and institutional accountability, while integrating digital health systems to ensure patient information can securely follow patients, with consent and in line with good governance principles.
According to Mr Mchengerwa, the platform will help address citizens’ challenges more efficiently, enable leaders to make timely and well-informed decisions, and strengthen public trust in the Ministry of Health.
He also pledged to set aside one day every month to personally listen to citizens’ concerns and feedback through the platform.
The minister further announced plans to institutionalise an Annual National Health Forum, to be held once a year over three days.
He said the forum would bring together health sector stakeholders, showcase innovative health technologies and recognise outstanding health workers and institutions through awards.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Seif Shekilaghe, said the platform would make it easier for citizens, including those in remote areas, to submit feedback and report challenges using simple digital tools.
Studies, he added, consistently show that communities are more satisfied and more willing to contribute constructive ideas when they are actively engaged and listened to.
Earlier, Arusha Regional Commissioner Mr Amos Makalla said the initiative reflects President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s vision of bringing public services closer to citizens by enabling direct communication with leaders and strengthening accountability among public servants in the health sector.
Meanwhile, the Medical Officer in Charge of Mount Meru Regional Referral Hospital, Dr Alex Ernest, said the facility currently serves between 700 and 1,000 outpatients and 200 to 300 inpatients, providing care to about 2.3 million residents of Arusha Region.
He said the hospital’s monthly revenue has increased from Sh200 million to Sh1 billion, while the availability of essential medicines has reached 98 per cent of demand.
To ease congestion, he added, the hospital has introduced an online appointment booking system, significantly improving efficiency and patient experience.
Dr Ernest said the hospital has also adopted mobile communication technologies to enhance service coordination—achievements that have contributed to Mount Meru Hospital attaining Level Four international accreditation from SafeCare, making it the only hospital in Tanzania to receive the highest level of certification.
