MOSHI, TANZANIA — Sounding the alarm on an emerging public health crisis, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has directed national health experts and researchers to launch a comprehensive investigation into the alarming spike in childhood cancer and heart disease cases across the country.
The President delivered her urgent directive during the official inauguration of a state-of-the-art $2.1 million radiotherapy center at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC) in Moshi. Addressing a gathering of medical professionals, government officials, and citizens, President Hassan expressed deep concern over shifting health demographics.
“Cancer and heart diseases, once considered adult illnesses, now affect children in growing numbers,” President Hassan stated. Emphasizing the gravity of the situation as an escalating public health concern, she issued a direct call to the medical community: “Researchers must dig deeper and help us understand what is driving this trend.”
The unveiling of the new multimillion-dollar facility marks a massive leap forward for healthcare infrastructure in the region. Strategically located in Moshi, the radiotherapy center will serve a vast population across northern Tanzania as well as patients crossing the border from neighboring countries. Crucially, the facility will drastically reduce the physical and financial burdens on patients who previously had to endure exhausting and expensive travel to the commercial capital of Dar es Salaam for specialized cancer treatments.
The scale of the crisis the center aims to address is substantial. According to health officials, KCMC currently receives over 9,400 cancer patients annually, with approximately 65 percent of those individuals requiring radiotherapy as part of their treatment regimen. The newly launched center is projected to treat about 1,100 patients during its initial operational phase, with infrastructural plans in place to scale its capacity to comfortably serve 3,900 patients once fully operational.
Beyond the brick-and-mortar investments, President Hassan stressed that infrastructure alone cannot defeat the disease. Concluding her address, she strongly urged Tanzanians to embrace proactive health measures, particularly early cancer screening. She further directed local health ministries and community leaders to intensify public awareness campaigns, ensuring that families have the knowledge and resources necessary to catch the disease in its most treatable stages.
