By Our Correspondent, Dodoma
The government, through the Government Chemist Laboratory Authority (GCLA), has invested TZS 17.8 billion in modern laboratory equipment, including 16 large machines and 274 smaller ones, to improve scientific investigations over the past four years.
Speaking in Dodoma on March 14, 2025, Chief Government Chemist Dr. Fidelice Mafumiko highlighted the progress made under the Sixth Phase Government.
He stated that the investment aims to enhance laboratory services and provide more efficient scientific testing for the public.
Dr. Mafumiko also noted that the number of tested samples increased from 155,817 in the 2021/2022 financial year to 188,362 in 2023/2024, reflecting a 21% rise.
Between July and December 2024 alone, 108,851 samples were analyzed, surpassing the target of 104,161 samples by 104.5%.
"The increase in tested samples is due to greater public awareness, improved service quality, and collaboration with government agencies such as the Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA), the Police Force, and the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA).
Other stakeholders, including hospitals, the Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA), and the National Environment Management Council (NEMC), also rely on GCLA for quality assurance," said Dr. Mafumiko.
