The government has stepped up investment in healthcare infrastructure, staffing and insurance coverage in a drive to bring essential medical services closer to Tanzanians, the Parliament has been told.
Deputy Minister for Health Florence Samizi said on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, that the government was implementing a range of measures to improve access to quality healthcare across the country.
She was responding to a question from Special Seats MP Zena Maulid Katambo, who wanted to know about the government’s specific plans to ensure healthcare services reach citizens more effectively.
Dr Samizi said the government’s efforts were guided by the Fifth Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP V), covering 2021–2026, which prioritises expanding access to quality healthcare through local government authorities and different levels of service delivery.
Government spending on health has increased significantly under the programme, with the sector’s budget rising from TZS 1.1 trillion in 2022/23 to TZS 1.8 trillion in 2025/26.
The additional funding has supported the expansion of healthcare facilities and other improvements aimed at increasing access to services.
According to Dr Samizi, the number of health facilities increased from 10,153 in 2021/22 to 13,683 by March 2026.
The expansion has helped ensure that more than 85 percent of Tanzanians can access healthcare services within five kilometres of where they live, she said.
The government has also intensified recruitment to address shortages of healthcare professionals, with 53,633 workers employed between 2021 and March 2026.
Most of the new recruits have been deployed to primary healthcare facilities, strengthening services at the community level.
The recruitment has pushed the country’s total number of health workers to 182,430, according to Dr Samizi.
She said the increased staffing was intended to improve the capacity of health facilities to provide timely and efficient services.
The government is also advancing implementation of Universal Health Insurance to make healthcare more affordable, particularly for vulnerable groups.
By June 2026, 276,004 households equivalent to 100 percent of the poor households targeted in the first phase had been registered under the programme.
The government is financing health insurance coverage for about 1.4 million beneficiaries, Dr Samizi said.
She said the government would continue investing in healthcare infrastructure, human resources, medicines, medical equipment and health insurance systems.
“The objective is to ensure every citizen can access quality healthcare services on time and as close as possible to where they live,” she said.