The government is increasing investment in primary healthcare infrastructure, medical equipment and service management as it seeks to improve access to healthcare for millions of Tanzanians at facilities closest to their communities.
Minister of State in the President’s Office–Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), Prof Riziki Shemdoe, said yesterday that primary healthcare remained the backbone of efforts to achieve universal health coverage.
His remarks came during the Second International Primary Healthcare Conference being held at the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC).
Prof Shemdoe said government data for 2025 showed that primary healthcare facilities handled the majority of essential public health services, underscoring the need for continued investment at the local level.
He said 27.8 million, or 86 percent, of the 32.3 million outpatient visits recorded at public health facilities took place at primary healthcare facilities.
The same facilities also accounted for 95.7 percent of deliveries in public health facilities, with two million of the 2.09 million women who gave birth in 2025 receiving services at the primary healthcare level.
“This shows the critical role played by primary healthcare facilities in delivering health services to Tanzanians,” Prof Shemdoe said.
Tanzania has 8,288 government health facilities, according to the minister, with 7,946, or 95.8 percent, operating at the primary healthcare level under local government authorities.
The figures place dispensaries, health centres and other primary-level facilities at the centre of the government’s strategy to bring healthcare services closer to people and reduce the need for patients to travel long distances for basic treatment.
Prof Shemdoe said the government was also strengthening the availability of medicines and other health commodities by improving systems used to manage their supply.
The government is further using digital systems to improve the administration of primary healthcare facilities.
According to Prof Shemdoe, 96.6 percent of primary healthcare facilities had been connected to the Government of Tanzania Health Operations Management Information System (GoTHOMIS), while 87.6 percent had been connected to the Government Electronic Payment Gateway (GePG).
He said the systems were helping improve efficiency, transparency and revenue management at the facilities.
Prof Shemdoe said the government would also strengthen supervision and accountability through regions, districts and councils to ensure investments in primary healthcare produce measurable improvements for citizens.
The conference, which runs from September 9 to 11, is bringing together stakeholders to discuss sustainable financing, quality and efficiency in primary healthcare and stronger health systems as Tanzania works towards universal health coverage.
Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba opened the conference on behalf of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.