Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) Executive Director Dr Diwani Msemo has challenged employees to abandon routine ways of working and embrace innovation, efficiency and accountability to improve cancer services for Tanzanians.
Dr Msemo, who is also chairman of the ORCI Workers’ Council, said yesterday that investments in cancer infrastructure and equipment would have limited impact unless they were matched by improved performance and a stronger commitment to patient care.
He made the remarks while addressing members of the Workers’ Council during its sixth meeting held at the Stella Maris Conference Hall in Bagamoyo, Coast Region.
“We should not work out of habit. We need to increase productivity, effort and innovation in our work. Each of us should ask how we can use our position to improve services for citizens,” Dr Msemo said.
His call comes as ORCI continues to expand its capacity through improvements in infrastructure, medical equipment and staff skills, developments that are expected to strengthen access to cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Dr Msemo said employees should make better use of available resources and ensure that institutional investments translate into tangible improvements for patients, including more efficient services.
He also called on the Workers’ Council to focus on institutional priorities based on available resources and identify additional sources of internally generated revenue that could strengthen ORCI’s ability to deliver cancer services.
He said the council should provide a meaningful platform for discussing key issues, including budgets, infrastructure, medical equipment, revenue collection and workplace improvements, while aligning its decisions with national priorities.
Tanzania Union of Government and Health Employees (TUGHE) Dar es Salaam Regional Secretary Sara Rwezaura commended ORCI for fulfilling its legal obligation to convene Workers’ Council meetings.
She said the meetings give employees an opportunity to raise challenges, contribute ideas and work with management to find solutions, urging employers to maintain employee participation in institutional development and welfare matters.
TUGHE ORCI branch chairman Mnaro Msuya also praised management for maintaining cooperation with workers, saying the approach had helped prevent and resolve workplace disputes.
Meanwhile, ORCI radiotherapy specialist and council member Julieth Swai said the institute had made improvements over the past three years in working conditions, treatment equipment and staff training.
Health Records Supervisor and council member Wamoja Mbonde said the availability of modern equipment and treatment machines had increased ORCI’s capacity and helped reduce patients’ waiting time.
She described progress in the construction of the ORCI facility in Mbeya as an important development in expanding cancer services beyond the institute’s main facility.
However, she said infrastructure investment must go hand in hand with changes in staff performance if the expansion is to deliver the intended benefits to patients.
The developments highlight the growing importance of combining investment in cancer infrastructure with a responsive workforce, efficient systems and patient-centred service delivery as Tanzania seeks to strengthen access to specialised healthcare.