Minister for Health, Mohamed Mchengerwa, has set a three-year deadline for the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) to ensure that no Tanzanian needs to travel abroad for cancer treatment, signalling the government’s push to strengthen local healthcare capacity.
Speaking at the launch of ORCI’s new board in Dar es Salaam, Mchengerwa said the government is determined to advance cancer care and reduce dependence on foreign facilities.
“We must match President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s pace in enhancing healthcare services, especially cancer treatment,” he said, adding that “This is about saving lives and building confidence in our local health system.”
The minister toured ORCI’s ongoing strategic projects, including the installation of three new radiation therapy machines – LINAC and Cobalt – as well as modern diagnostic equipment, including a PET CT scanner.
He also inspected a newly established cyclotron facility designed to produce nuclear medicine for cancer diagnosis and treatment.
“These upgrades are transformative, but reforms must go beyond buildings and equipment. Patient experience, service delivery, and innovation in care are equally critical,” Mchengerwa said.
Diwani Msemo, ORCI’s Executive Director, said the new machines are expected to reduce waiting times from 20 weeks to about two weeks and double the daily patient throughput from 200 to over 400.
“This will allow us to serve more Tanzanians efficiently and position ORCI as a regional centre of excellence,” he said.
Patients attending ORCI welcomed the announcement.
Justina Allen, speaking on behalf of fellow patients, praised President Samia for expanding access to radiotherapy services and highlighted that low-income patients now receive free treatment under government guidelines.
ORCI’s modernization reflects Tanzania’s broader health strategy under the sixth-phase government, aiming to improve domestic service delivery while reducing medical tourism.
Mchengerwa also urged ORCI to strengthen research, adopt advanced electronic patient record systems, and expand international collaboration.
Officials said these measures are intended to position ORCI as a leading cancer treatment and research institution in Africa.
