MWE Correspondent
Tanzania’s Ministry of Health has pledged to equip the Central Zone Prison Headquarters Hospital in Veyula, Dodoma, to enable it to begin providing healthcare services to the surrounding community, in a move expected to expand access to medical care in the region.
Government Chief Medical Officer Professor Bruno Sunguya announced the commitment on October 21, 2026, during the opening of a health professionals’ conference organised by the Tanzania Prisons Service at Rugimbana Hall in Dodoma.
Sunguya described the hospital as strategically located and said equipping the facility would enable it to serve not only prison officers and inmates but also members of the general public.
He commended the Prisons Service for its continued investment in healthcare facilities across the country, particularly the construction of the Central Zone referral hospital, whose development has reached a stage where it could begin offering services once the necessary equipment is provided.
The government’s commitment is expected to support the facility’s transition into a healthcare provider for the wider community, although the range of services and the timeline for opening to the public will depend on the equipment and other operational requirements.
Sunguya also praised the Prisons Service for organising professional training for its healthcare personnel, saying continuous learning was essential to keeping medical practitioners up to date with developments in science, technology and modern healthcare delivery.
He assured participants that the Ministry of Health was ready to cooperate with the Prisons Service in training and professional development to improve the quality of medical services provided across its facilities.
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The chief medical officer urged prison health professionals to observe professional ethics, follow national healthcare guidelines and maintain high standards of patient care.
He also emphasised the importance of public education on infectious disease outbreaks, including Ebola, noting that healthcare workers have an important role in promoting awareness, early detection and adherence to established disease prevention and control measures.
Representing the Commissioner General of Prisons, Commissioner for Legal Affairs and Prison Operations CP Nicodemus Tenga thanked President Samia Suluhu Hassan for supporting the Prisons Service in various areas, including the construction of healthcare facilities.
Tenga said prison hospitals and health centres serve a wider purpose beyond providing treatment to officers and inmates, as some facilities also support surrounding communities that require access to medical services.
He noted that investment in prison healthcare infrastructure could contribute to strengthening the country’s broader health service network, particularly where facilities are positioned to serve communities with limited access to medical care.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Prisons Service Health Section, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Prisons Nsajigwa Mwankenja, said the service had more than 700 health professionals serving in different locations across Tanzania.
He added that the Prisons Service continued to improve its healthcare facilities using internally generated revenue and support from various development partners.
The planned equipping of the Dodoma hospital comes amid broader efforts to improve healthcare infrastructure, strengthen the health workforce and expand access to essential medical services.
Making the facility operational for public use could help increase the availability of treatment services in the Veyula area and reduce pressure on other healthcare facilities, depending on its eventual capacity and range of services.
However, the hospital’s ability to deliver sustainable healthcare will also depend on the availability of qualified personnel, essential medicines, diagnostic equipment, reliable utilities and adequate funding for daily operations.
The Ministry of Health’s promised support therefore represents an important step towards enabling the hospital to fulfil its intended role, while continued coordination between the government and the Prisons Service will be necessary to ensure that the facility provides safe, accessible and reliable healthcare to both prison communities and the public.
