by Ben Taylor
Tanzania pushes for medical tourism leadership
In late September 2025, Tanzania launched a comprehensive strategy to position itself as Africa’s leading medical tourism destination, building on recent infrastructure investments and policy reforms. This initiative aims to capitalise on the country’s growing healthcare capabilities and natural attractions to attract high-value international patients. The plan emphasises upgrading facilities, fostering public-private partnerships, and enhancing specialist services, with an eye on generating substantial foreign exchange – medical visitations already yielded a reported TSh 166.5 billion (approximately US$64 million) in the 2024/2025 financial year.
Central to the reforms is the Benjamin Mkapa Specialised Hospital in Dar es Salaam, which exemplifies the upgrades: state-of-the-art equipment, expanded oncology and cardiology units, and a cadre of internationally trained specialists. The government has allocated funds for similar enhancements at regional hospitals, including Zanzibar’s Mnazi Mmoja facility, which is undergoing a major overhaul to include advanced diagnostics and wellness retreats blending medical care with tourism. These efforts align with broader goals to reduce outbound medical travel – Tanzanians currently spend over US$200 million annually abroad – while drawing patients from East Africa, the Middle East, and Europe for cost-effective procedures like orthopaedics and fertility treatments.
International collaborations are key: partnerships with Indian and Turkish firms will introduce telemedicine hubs and training programmes, targeting a 20% annual growth in medical tourists by 2030. Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu highlighted the potential during the launch, noting that combining world-class care with Tanzania’s safari heritage could create 10,000 jobs and boost GDP by 1-2%.
Challenges remain, including regulatory harmonisation and quality accreditation, but this strategic pivot has much potential. It not only addresses domestic healthcare gaps but positions Tanzania as a regional healer, leveraging its relative stability and affordability in a global market projected to reach US$200 billion by 2030.
Artificial Intelligence in healthcare delivery
On 10 September 2025, Tanzania announced pioneering initiatives to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into its healthcare system, spotlighted at the 26th Medexpo Africa trade exhibition in Dar es Salaam. Themed “Digital Solutions for Healthcare Transformation,” the event reportedly gathered over 300 exhibitors to showcase AI’s role in diagnostics, efficiency, and patient outcomes. This would mark a major leap for a sector where only an estimated 40% of facilities had digital records pre-2025, aiming to bridge urban-rural divides through tools like predictive analytics and remote monitoring.
Key components include deploying AI-powered imaging software in 50 public hospitals for faster tuberculosis and cancer detection, reducing diagnostic times by up to 70%. Partnerships with IBM and local startup AfyaTech will pilot chatbots for maternal health consultations in Swahili, targeting 5 million rural users by 2027. The US$10 million seed funding, drawn from the national health budget and donor support, also funds training for 2,000 clinicians in AI ethics and data management.
Experts at Medexpo, including WHO representatives, praised the move as “revolutionary” for resource-limited settings, where AI could cut administrative burdens by 40% and improve outbreak responses, as seen in COVID-19 simulations. President Hassan, addressing the forum virtually, linked it to Vision 2050’s digital economy goals, envisioning AI-driven telemedicine to achieve 90% health coverage. Hurdles like data privacy and infrastructure (such as limited internet accessibility) persist, but pilot successes in Arusha (e.g. AI triage in emergency wards) signal promise. By embedding AI, Tanzania is not just modernising healthcare but fostering innovation hubs, potentially exporting solutions to neighbouring nations and positioning itself as Africa’s AI health pioneer.
Mpox outbreak
Tanzania is experiencing a notable outbreak of mpox (formerly monkeypox, or MPV), which began in March 2025. Tanzania confirmed its first two cases on March 10, 2025, in Dar es Salaam, both clade Ib (a more transmissible and severe variant driving the African epidemic). By June 22, 2025, the total reached 64 confirmed cases with no deaths. This rose to 111 cases by July 31, 2025, still with zero fatalities, indicating community transmission primarily among adults via close contact.
The outbreak aligns with the broader African mpox emergency, declared a continental concern by Africa Centres for Disease Control (CDC) in September 2025, though global cases have declined 52% since peaks in May-June elsewhere.
Response efforts include vaccination drives (prioritising high-risk groups), contact tracing, and public awareness campaigns by the Ministry of Health and WHO. As of September 2025, mpox remains a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security according to the Africa CDC, with Tanzania’s cases contributing to over 40,000 reported across Africa this year.
Mpox is a viral zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus that typically presents with symptoms like fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes, and muscle aches. It spreads mainly through close physical contact, contaminated materials, or respiratory droplets during prolonged faceto-face exposure.