Tanzania to build Africa’s biggest kidney transplant centre
Tanzania will soon begin building what is set to become the largest kidney transplant centre in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The project will be based at Benjamin Mkapa Zonal Referral Hospital in Dodoma, the country’s capital, Eastleigh Voice reports.
The centre will be developed in partnership with the University of Dodoma and supported by a grant of 1.3 billion Tanzanian shillings from Japan’s Tokushukai Medical Corporation.
A formal agreement was signed between Tanzanian and Japanese officials during the World Expo Osaka 2025.
The new facility will not only provide kidney transplants but also train doctors and carry out research to address rising kidney-related illnesses.
It is expected to take three years to complete and will position Tanzania as a major destination for kidney treatment in the region.
Officials say the centre will also help train local experts to make and repair medical equipment, which could lower long-term costs.
The centre is expected to also expand to include other types of organ transplants eventually.
The kidney project is part of a wider cooperation between Tanzania and Japan, with six agreements signed during the Osaka forum involving various sectors across both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.
