Joseph Isangura
The Minister of Health, Jenista Mhagama, has directed the newly inaugurated Advisory Board for Private Hospitals to ensure all registered health facilities meet required quality standards.
Speaking on March 5, 2025, at the launch of the board, Mhagama emphasized the need for rigorous oversight to guarantee that private health centers provide reliable and high-quality services to citizens.
The board, now in its 11th term, consists of six members and is led by Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Grace Magembe. Its primary responsibility is to register and monitor private health facilities across mainland Tanzania, ensuring they operate within the guidelines set by the Ministry of Health.
“This board has a crucial role in inspecting health facilities to make sure they deliver quality healthcare in accordance with their registration level. Any facility that fails to comply with the ministry’s service guidelines must face action—without fear or bias,” Mhagama stated.
She also stressed the importance of collaboration between the government and private health providers, saying they should work as partners rather than competitors. “We have experts, leaders, inspectors, and supervisors who must work together to uphold healthcare standards. The private sector is not our rival; it is our partner in serving the people,” she added.
To ensure compliance, the minister announced plans to visit private health centers to confirm their registration status and verify that they are offering only authorized services. She noted that some facilities have been found providing unregistered services, a practice that needs to be addressed.
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Dr. Magembe reported that the board has successfully registered approximately 3,471 private health facilities so far. She assured that the board would continue strengthening oversight to maintain high healthcare standards in the private sector.
The government’s push for better supervision comes at a time when Tanzania is working to roll out Universal Health Insurance (UHI), a program aimed at making healthcare more affordable and accessible to all citizens. Minister Mhagama has pledged to speed up the implementation of UHI, which is currently in the regulatory process, to help ease the financial burden of medical expenses on families.
Additionally, in December 2024, the government introduced new health insurance packages, including the reintroduced Toto Afya Kadi, to expand healthcare access, particularly for children. These efforts reflect the government’s commitment to improving healthcare services and ensuring that both public and private health facilities meet required standards.
