Tanzania is strengthening its emergency response system by building a specialised medical team that can be deployed quickly to areas hit by disease outbreaks, major accidents and other health emergencies.
The initiative is aimed at reducing delays in providing treatment when emergencies strike and ensuring health workers have the skills and equipment needed to manage sudden increases in patients.
The move was highlighted on Friday, September 11, 2026, as a five-day training programme for the national Emergency Medical Team (EMT) concluded in Mwanza.
The final day involved a simulation exercise designed to test the team’s ability to coordinate and provide medical services during an emergency.
Health Ministry emergency medicine specialist Dr Michael Kiremeji said the training was an important step in strengthening Tanzania’s preparedness for health disasters.
“Completing the emergency medical training for the national team is an important step towards ensuring Tanzania has a team of skilled and prepared professionals capable of providing medical services during disasters, disease outbreaks, major accidents and other emergencies,” he said.
Dr Kiremeji said Tanzania’s emergency response also depends on having specialised teams that can be deployed to regions when outbreaks occur.
He said Case Management and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) teams have been required to travel to affected regions to help establish designated areas for treating patients during disease outbreaks.
The development of EMTs is expected to strengthen that response by ensuring trained personnel can be mobilised when local health facilities face emergencies that require additional expertise and resources.
Dr Yakayashi Mcrice, a paediatrician and participant in the training, said the programme was necessary because Tanzania has experienced various emergencies, including fires, train accidents and landslides.
He said regular training would help health professionals respond more effectively when such incidents occur and ensure victims receive treatment in time.
“The training is important because the country has experienced different disasters and emergencies. It is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the capacity of health professionals to respond to emergencies and ensure people receive appropriate treatment on time,” Dr Mcrice said.
The government’s focus on emergency medical teams comes as Tanzania seeks to strengthen preparedness for both disease outbreaks and sudden disasters that can overwhelm health facilities and create large numbers of casualties within a short period.
The simulation exercise was therefore intended to move beyond classroom training by testing how the team would perform under conditions similar to an actual emergency.