The government is assessing the quality of services at primary healthcare facilities in four regions as part of efforts to address service delivery gaps, strengthen accountability and improve access to quality healthcare.
The exercise, led by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), is being conducted in Lindi, Mbeya, Geita and Simiyu regions under the third cycle of the Star Rating Assessment.
The first phase of the assessment, which continued in Lindi on October 28, 2026, covers dispensaries, health centres and district hospitals.
The assessment examines key areas that directly affect patients' access to and experience of healthcare services, including infrastructure, staffing levels, availability of medicines and medical supplies, clinical services, leadership and management, and infection prevention and control.
Under the system, facilities are awarded between zero and five stars based on their performance against national healthcare quality standards.
The ratings are intended to provide a picture of the quality of services available at individual facilities while identifying weaknesses that require government intervention.
Findings from the exercise will be used to develop improvement plans, enabling health authorities to address gaps in infrastructure, human resources, medical supplies and service delivery.
The assessment is also expected to strengthen the preparedness of primary healthcare facilities for the implementation of the Universal Health Coverage programme.
Improving the capacity and quality of primary healthcare facilities is particularly important as they serve as the first point of contact for many Tanzanians seeking medical services.
The government expects the assessment to strengthen facility management and ensure that available resources translate into better healthcare services for communities.