The Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) in Dar es Salaam has saved more than one million lives and prevented TZS 172 billion from being spent on sending heart patients abroad since its establishment in 2015.
At a ceremony marking its 10th anniversary and launching the institute’s history book, JKCI Director Dr. Peter Kisenge said the institute continues to expand services and plans to save even more lives in the coming years.
“In 10 years, we have achieved remarkable progress. We are building a 100-bed pediatric heart hospital in Mloganzila to serve children with critical cardiac needs,” Dr. Kisenge said.
He noted that JKCI has become a regional hub, treating patients from Africa and countries including India, Turkey, China, France, and Germany.
“We are helping Africa overcome challenges in accessing heart treatment,” he said.
Dr. Kisenge highlighted JKCI’s ability to perform open-heart surgeries using the latest global technology. The institute conducts research to improve care and employs skilled staff, including experts from Dar Group Hospital, now a branch of JKCI.
JKCI also delivers mobile medical services, reaching 16 regions in Tanzania to screen citizens for heart disease who otherwise could not access care.
“We aim to make JKCI the ‘India of Africa’—a leading center for cardiac treatment. Previously, patients went to South Africa, but now they come here. That is a major achievement,” he explained.
The institute has signed agreements with Zambia, Burkina Faso, and Comoros to provide cardiac treatment and training. Foreign patients continue to travel to JKCI for care.
Speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, Ubungo District Commissioner Albert Msando said the institute has significantly reduced the need to spend funds abroad.
“The government, under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, invests in modern medical equipment to simplify treatment and align it with global standards,” he said.
The 10th-anniversary celebrations included heart disease screenings for students in the Coast Region, police officers, and the public.
JKCI also hosted debates between health professionals and secondary school students on medical tourism and cardiac care, while professionals from across Tanzania exchanged knowledge and best practices.
