KATAVI: Tanzania is intensifying efforts to strengthen the management of its public healthcare system, with Prime Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba calling for stricter oversight to ensure that government hospitals and health centres maintain adequate stocks of essential medicines.
The directive reflects a broader policy shift from expanding healthcare infrastructure to improving the efficiency, accountability and reliability of service delivery within the country’s public health system.
Speaking to residents of Nsimbo District in western Tanzania’s Katavi Region, Dr Nchemba criticised a recurring practice in some public health facilities where patients are referred to private pharmacies to purchase medicines, despite the government allocating funds and supplies for those drugs.
His remarks highlight a challenge that is not unique to Tanzania: across many developing health systems, gaps between procurement and last-mile distribution can undermine the availability of essential medicines at the point of care.
“A tendency has emerged where funds for medicines are allocated to hospitals and health centres, yet patients are sent to buy them in pharmacies. This practice is unacceptable,” the Prime Minister said. “Where does a pharmacy obtain medicine that the government cannot provide?”
To address potential weaknesses in the supply chain, Dr Nchemba directed the regional office of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) to investigate how medicines and related funds are being managed and distributed in Katavi Region.
The move signals the government’s intention to strengthen transparency and accountability within the public health supply system.
Over the past decade, Tanzania has significantly expanded its health infrastructure as part of efforts to improve universal access to care. According to government figures, the country has built 119 district hospitals, 2,800 dispensaries and 649 health centres in the past four years under the administration of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
While these investments have improved the geographical reach of health services, policymakers are increasingly focusing on operational efficiency—ensuring that facilities are fully equipped, staffed and supplied to meet patient needs.
Health experts note that reliable access to essential medicines remains one of the most important indicators of an effective healthcare system, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where public facilities serve the majority of the population.
Beyond the health sector, the Prime Minister also addressed governance challenges in land management, warning local officials against the illegal sale of village land—a practice that has contributed to conflicts between farmers and pastoralists in several rural regions.
He emphasised that the government will hold accountable any leaders found to be manipulating land allocation processes.
Dr Nchemba further urged contractors working on public projects to ensure timely payment to subcontractors and workers, noting that delays in settling dues can slow development projects and affect livelihoods.
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Meanwhile, the government is also introducing reforms aimed at modernising agricultural markets and protecting farmers from unfair trade practices.
Deputy Minister for Agriculture David Silinde said the Ministry of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, has begun implementing a directive to standardise the measurement of agricultural produce sold in domestic markets.
In many parts of the country, crops are traditionally traded using sacks or buckets, a system that often results in inconsistent measurements and financial losses for farmers.
The government plans to introduce standardised sacks designed to hold 100 kilogrammes of produce, a measure intended to improve transparency and fairness in crop trading.
Mr Silinde said the reform, part of the Prime Minister’s nationwide consultations with regional authorities, aims to modernise agricultural commerce and align domestic trading practices with internationally recognised measurement standards.
Together, the initiatives signal Tanzania’s broader effort to strengthen governance, improve public service delivery and enhance economic fairness in key sectors affecting both citizens’ welfare and the country’s development trajectory.
