Apollo Group, NSSF to set up heart surgery hospital in Dar

The Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof. David Mwakyusa

Heart patients, many currently referred to India for treatment, might in the near future get the service locally, as the Apollo Group of Hospitals based in New Delhi contemplates opening a hospital in Dar es Salaam.

The Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof. David Mwakyusa told the Parliament yesterday that Apollo hospital, where most of Tanzanian patients are referred to for treatment, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Social Security Fund to set up a hospital in the country.

Mwakyusa said Apollo hospital, the largest health service provider in Asia, would work in partnership with NSSF to set up the hospital that would reduce the cost of sending the patients to India.

The minister was responding to contributions from Members of Parliament when rewinding up debate on the Bill on the Medical Radiology and Imaging Professionals Act, of 2007, he had tabled in the House.

Apollo, one of the best hospitals for surgery in India, has a tie-up with the government, whereby the government, in collaboration with other organisations, refers patients to Delhi each year.

Earlier, the minister said there had been an increase of misuse of radiation due to the emergence of centers that offered radiology services in the country.

The minister said the current law, Radiation Act, had failed to tackle the problem hence the need to enact another law to fight the vice.

He said radiation was harmful to human beings if mishandled. ?This bill if passed into law will establish the council to register radiographers and radiologists to ensure that the work is done solely by professionals,? he said.

The Spokesman of the Parliamentary Committee for Social Services, Dr Haji Mwita Haji commended the government for coming up with such a bill saying that some of radiologists were abusing their professions to the detriment of the unsuspecting poor citizens.

For instance, he said, x-ray machines in many district hospitals were manned by people who were not professionals, calling on the government to make sure that radiology services were discharged by people with enough experience and knowledge.

Presenting the opposition?s view, Shadow Minister for Health and Social Welfare called on the government to subsidise the costs of radiology services to enable the poor to afford them.

``When we leaders fall sick, our medical bills are paid for by the government. Sometimes we are taken to India, South Africa, UK or elsewhere for treatment.

But we should remember that in issues pertaining to life, there is no public official or a common man. All have the right to live. So we should help our people access this service at an affordable price,? he said.

Dr Willibrod Slaa (Karatu, Chadema), said that X-ray machines in many district hospitals were out of order, and many hospitals lacked radiologists and radiographers.

He called on the government to repair all defective x-ray machines and deploy enough radiologists and radiographers in district hospitals to serve the people well.

Siraju Kaboyonga (Tabora Urban, CCM) called on the government to create a conducive environment to enable many private hospitals offer radiology services.