By Charles Mkoka
DAR ES SALAAM, July 6 – Tanzania has saved more than TShs. 3.5 billion shillings in overseas cancer treatment costs within six months after commissioning advanced diagnostic equipment at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI), Parliament Speaker Mussa Azzan Zungu said.
Speaking during a visit to the national cancer referral centre, Hon. Zungu said the government's investment in modern oncology technology was enabling patients to receive specialist treatment locally while reducing the financial burden of referrals abroad.
"When Parliament insists on effective tax collection, it is so that those resources return to citizens through quality public services," Hon. Zungu said. "We commend President Samia Suluhu Hassan for her vision in strengthening healthcare. Today, Tanzanians can access services that previously required travelling overseas."
He said ORCI had installed advanced equipment, including a PET Scan system for early cancer detection and a radiosurgery machine capable of treating certain cancers with highly targeted radiation without conventional surgery.
According to Zungu, the government invested about 7 billion shillings in the radiosurgery system, describing it as one of the most advanced cancer treatment technologies available in Africa.
He added that construction of a new ORCI hospital building was progressing well and is expected to be completed in November, with full project financing already secured.
The new facility will include dedicated services for international patients as Tanzania seeks to expand its medical tourism industry, while continuing to serve domestic patients covered through health insurance, cost-sharing arrangements and government-supported treatment schemes.
ORCI's Executive Director, Dr. Diwani Msemo, said more than 350 patients had undergone PET Scan examinations since the technology was commissioned in January 2026.
He said sending those patients to India for the same service would have cost the government and families at least 3.5 billion shillings, meaning the investment had already generated equivalent savings within its first six months of operation.
"If this trend continues, Tanzania will save approximately 7 billion shillings annually that would previously have been spent on treatment abroad," he said.
Dr. Diwani added that the institute's expansion would strengthen Tanzania's ambition to become a regional hub for specialised cancer care in East Africa while reducing dependence on overseas referrals and conserving foreign exchange.
