The initiative is expected to attract patients from across Africa and other parts of the world, generate foreign exchange through medical tourism and significantly reduce the number of Tanzanians travelling overseas for specialised treatment.
Chief Government Spokesperson and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Gerson Msigwa, said the government remains committed to investing heavily in modern healthcare infrastructure, advanced medical technology, digital health systems and workforce development to position BMH as a regional centre of excellence.
Speaking in Dodoma while presenting the achievements of government development projects, Msigwa revealed that government investment of 283bn/- has transformed the hospital from a newly established facility in 2015 into one of Tanzania's leading referral hospitals, now providing specialist and super-specialist medical services comparable to international standards.
He said the investment has expanded access to quality healthcare, saved thousands of lives and strengthened Tanzania's capacity to deliver advanced medical treatment locally.
"It is no secret that India has made enormous progress by investing in specialised healthcare, attracting patients from many countries, including Tanzania. Our goal is to strengthen specialist and super-specialist services so that Tanzanians receive quality treatment at home while international patients come here, receive treatment and pay for the services. That is medical tourism," Mr Msigwa said.
According to him, the proposed Medical Tourism Village will build on the hospital's expanding range of specialised services while creating opportunities for medical education, research, healthcare innovation and related support services.
A major milestone in that journey has been the establishment of the Royal International Clinic, which has quickly emerged as a key driver of Tanzania's medical tourism ambitions. Since opening on July 10 last year, the facility has attended to more than 18,607 patients, including 390 international clients, while introducing comprehensive Master Health Check-up services aimed at attracting more foreign patients.
Msigwa said the government is also implementing several strategic projects to further strengthen the hospital's specialised care capacity. These include the construction of a 32bn/- Cancer Centre and a 44.9bn/- Kidney Treatment Centre, funded jointly by the Government of Tanzania and the Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
He added that preparations are underway to establish a Bone Marrow Transplant Centre of Excellence as well as the Benjamin Mkapa Hospital Health Training Institute, which will provide diploma-level medical education to help address the country's growing demand for skilled healthcare professionals.
The government's continued investment has also led to remarkable growth in the hospital's workforce. According to Msigwa, staff strength has increased from just 20 employees in 2015 to 1,076 personnel in 2026, including more than 100 specialist and super-specialist doctors.
"The hospital now offers 20 specialist and 18 super-specialist services, including kidney transplantation, bone marrow transplantation for children with sickle cell disease, open-heart surgery, cardiac catheterisation, neurosurgery, minimally invasive surgery, hip and knee replacement, advanced radiology and dialysis," he added.
The availability of these advanced medical services has significantly reduced the number of Tanzanians referred abroad for treatment, helping the government save substantial public funds while improving access to life-saving healthcare within the country.
At the same time, the hospital is increasingly attracting patients from neighbouring countries, reinforcing Tanzania's growing reputation as a regional healthcare destination. Hospital records show that BMH has treated 2,897 patients from Burundi, 526 from Comoros, in addition to patients from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and several other East and Central African nations.
Msigwa said the continued expansion of Benjamin Mkapa Hospital reflects President Samia Suluhu Hassan's commitment to building a stronger healthcare system capable of delivering world-class specialist care while positioning Tanzania among Africa's emerging leaders in medical tourism.
With continued investment in infrastructure, cutting-edge technology and specialist healthcare services, the government believes the Medical Tourism Village project will not only improve healthcare outcomes for Tanzanians but also contribute to economic growth by attracting international patients seeking high-quality and affordable medical treatment.