The government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the fight against rare diseases by improving research, diagnosis and treatment systems to ensure patients receive timely and appropriate care.
Speaking on March 4, 2026, the Government Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Grace Magembe, said the government is working closely with development partners and health institutions to enhance the country’s capacity to respond to rare diseases.
Dr. Magembe made the remarks while opening the 16th conference for disseminating research findings on rare diseases held at the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in Dar es Salaam.
She said the government is giving special attention to rare diseases in order to understand them better and improve treatment services through collaboration with institutions, civil society organisations and the private sector.
Dr. Magembe noted that partnerships with institutions such as the Ali Kimara Rare Disease Foundation are helping to expand access to treatment and care for more children affected by rare diseases across the country.
She revealed that by December 2025, more than 200 health professionals working in 14 health facilities had received training to establish treatment units for rare diseases, including Hemophilia, starting from the primary healthcare level.
According to her, the government has already taken important steps to strengthen the national health system by improving laboratory capacity, training health workers and introducing special treatment units for rare diseases at dispensaries, health centres and district hospitals.
The initiative initially focused on treating patients with Sickle Cell Disease before expanding to hemophilia treatment services.
“So far, about 500 patients with hemophilia have been identified and are continuing to receive treatment,” she said.
Dr. Magembe also urged researchers from institutions such as Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences and the National Institute for Medical Research to use the conference to openly discuss achievements, challenges and recommendations that can help improve the management of rare diseases in the country.
The conference was organised by Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in collaboration with the Ali Kimara Rare Disease Foundation.
