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Tanzanians in four regions are set to benefit from free specialist medical services as the Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) hosts the sixth EAC Military Forces Cooperation Week with civilians.
The week-long programme, running through August 2026 to September 1, will bring together military forces from East African Community (EAC) member states for a series of activities focused on strengthening ties with communities.
The services are expected to provide relief to residents, particularly those who face challenges accessing specialist healthcare, with medical teams drawn from Burundi, Somalia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda taking part.
Speaking to journalists in Dodoma on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, TPDF Director of Medical Services Administration, Brigadier General Dr Agatha Mary Katua, said specialist doctors would provide free medical services at selected health facilities.
The programme will cover Dar es Salaam, Pwani, Arusha and Zanzibar.
“This is an opportunity for wananchi to access services from specialist doctors without paying for consultations,” Brig Gen Katua said, highlighting the practical benefits of the regional military cooperation programme.
In Dar es Salaam, services will be available at Ubungo District Hospital, Vijibweni Hospital in Kigamboni and Yombo Malawi Health Centre.
The programme will also target vulnerable children and other groups living in care institutions.
Medical services and support will be extended to the National Children’s Home in Kurasini, Temeke; Mwandaiwa Orphanage Centre in Bunju, Kinondoni; the Children’s Residential Centre in Chanika, Ilala; and SOS Zanzibar.
The military teams will also provide services to inmates at Segerea Prison in Dar es Salaam and Kisongo Prison in Arusha.
In Pwani, residents will receive services at Tumbi Regional Referral Hospital and Bagamoyo District Hospital.
In Zanzibar, the programme will cover Mwerapongwe District Hospital in Unguja and Vitongoji District Hospital in Pemba.
The geographical spread of the programme is intended to ensure that the benefits of the EAC military-civilian cooperation reach communities beyond major urban centres.
The cooperation week will also go beyond healthcare, with military teams expected to support the rehabilitation of selected social infrastructure.
Facilities earmarked for rehabilitation include the National Children’s Home in Kurasini, Mapinduzi Health Centre in Chamwino, Dodoma, and Kibokoni Health Centre in Pemba.
According to Brig Gen Katua, the activities are designed to strengthen the relationship between the military and civilians while contributing to social welfare.
The EAC Military Forces Cooperation Week is held annually in one of the bloc’s member states. Tanzania is hosting this year’s edition after previously hosting the event in 2022.
TPDF has urged residents in the targeted areas to make use of the free medical services and other opportunities available during the programme.
For citizens, the initiative offers a direct benefit of regional military cooperation—bringing specialist healthcare and support services closer to communities while strengthening the relationship between security institutions and the people they serve.
