By Abduly Madenge
The Government of Tanzania has accelerated nationwide reforms in emergency medical care and intensive care unit (ICU) services in a bid to reduce preventable deaths caused by delays in receiving urgent treatment.
The reforms include the expansion of emergency infrastructure, the strengthening of ICU services, and the introduction of a unified national guideline to standardize the management of critically ill patients across all levels of the health system.
Speaking in Morogoro on May 14, 2026, during the opening of a three-day technical meeting on ICU guidelines and practical training for health professionals, the Director of Emergency and Disaster Health Services at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Erasto Sylvanus, said the government’s priority is to ensure that emergency deaths caused by late treatment become a thing of the past.
He said the government, in collaboration with the President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (OR-TAMISEMI), has already constructed 125 Emergency and Disaster Management (EMD) facilities across the country, aimed at bringing life-saving services closer to the people.
Out of these, 86 facilities are located at district council hospitals, while 39 are in referral hospitals, marking a major shift in the decentralization of emergency healthcare services.
Dr. Sylvanus said the investment is designed to ensure that patients experiencing emergencies such as road traffic accidents, heart attacks, strokes, and severe injuries receive immediate stabilisation without having to travel long distances to major hospitals.
“The goal is simple. When a citizen faces a medical emergency, they should receive the first life-saving intervention immediately at the nearest health facility,” he said.
He added that the expansion of EMD units and ICU services is already improving patient outcomes, particularly in district hospitals that previously lacked the capacity to manage critically ill patients.
According to him, strengthening district-level care reduces unnecessary referrals to major hospitals and increases the chances of survival, especially in cases where time is a critical factor.
As part of the reforms, the government has also invested in intensive care strengthening at major hospitals, including Muhimbili National Hospital, Benjamin Mkapa Hospital, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC), Bugando Medical Centre, and Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital.
These facilities, alongside training institutions such as Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), have been upgraded with modern emergency care equipment and skills laboratories to improve hands-on training for health workers.
Dr. Sylvanus said six major institutions have been equipped with emergency care skills laboratories designed to enhance practical training in life-saving procedures and critical care management. These include Muhimbili National Hospital, MUHAS, Benjamin Mkapa Hospital, KCMC, Bugando Medical Centre, and Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital.
He said more than 1,728 health professionals from ten regions have already benefited from structured training programmes delivered through these centres, with more training ongoing across the country.
“The challenge is not only infrastructure. We must ensure that we have skilled professionals who can use these facilities effectively and ethically to save lives,” he said.
He stressed that the government is focused on ensuring that newly built emergency units do not remain underutilized, but instead function as fully operational life-saving centres equipped with competent personnel and modern tools.
Dr. Sylvanus also highlighted ongoing efforts to develop a single national ICU guideline that will standardize the management of critically ill patients from the moment they arrive at a health facility to the point they receive intensive care.
He said the guideline will eliminate variations in treatment approaches between hospitals and ensure that patients receive consistent, safe, and high-quality care regardless of where they are treated.
“The development of a unified guideline will help health workers make faster and more accurate decisions in emergency situations. This will improve coordination, reduce errors, and ultimately save more lives,” he said.
He added that the guideline will also strengthen accountability and improve clinical governance within emergency departments and ICUs across the country.
The Morogoro meeting brought together health experts and stakeholders to review and harmonize the proposed national ICU framework. It is part of a broader government effort to improve the quality of critical care services and strengthen health system resilience.
Dr. Sylvanus said the reforms reflect the government’s long-term vision of building a health system where no life is lost due to lack of timely emergency care or inadequate access to intensive treatment services.
He noted that the expansion of emergency and ICU services is a major investment in protecting life, dignity, and the right of every Tanzanian to access quality healthcare.
The Ministry of Health, working closely with OR-TAMISEMI, continues to oversee implementation of the reforms, with a focus on ensuring that both district and referral hospitals are adequately equipped, staffed, and trained.
Dr. Sylvanus concluded that the ongoing transformation marks a significant milestone in Tanzania’s healthcare system, shifting from centralized emergency care to a more accessible and responsive national network capable of saving lives at the point of need.
