Tanzania is seeking to establish itself as a regional hub for cancer treatment and specialist training in sub-Saharan Africa as the government expands screening, vaccination and access to advanced medical technology, Vice President Deogratius Ndejembi said on Tuesday.
Addressing an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Scientific Forum in Vienna, Ndejembi said increased government investment had significantly expanded the country’s capacity to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.
“Health has remained a national priority, as demonstrated by the progress made in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment from primary to tertiary levels of healthcare,” he said.
The two-day forum, held under the theme “Rays of Hope: Delivering on the Promise of Cancer Care,” has brought together government leaders, scientists, health professionals and other stakeholders to examine ways of closing gaps in access to cancer diagnosis and treatment worldwide.
Ndejembi said Tanzania had made significant progress in cervical cancer prevention, with coverage of single-dose HPV vaccination among girls aged 9 to 14 rising from 58% in 2018 to 98% in 2026.
He said the country had also expanded access to radiotherapy by increasing the number of sites offering the service from three in 2020 to six in 2026.
According to the Vice President the expansion has increased access to radiotherapy from 14% to 26%, benefiting about 6,500 patients, he said.
“Tanzania plans to establish nine comprehensive cancer treatment sites across six strategic health zones on the mainland and Zanzibar by 2030,” Ndejembi said.
He said between 2021 and 2026, the number of MRI machines rose from seven to 28, while CT scanners increased from 12 to 97. Mammography machines increased from four to 20, and digital X-ray machines rose from 147 to 770.
The number of radiotherapy machines also increased from two to eight during the same period, according to Ndejembi.
The expansion is part of a broader effort by Tanzania to strengthen cancer services while reducing the need for patients to travel long distances to access specialised treatment.
Ndejembi urged the IAEA and other international partners to continue supporting Tanzania through the agency’s Rays of Hope initiative.
He also called for the Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Dar es Salaam to be designated a cancer centre of excellence for training and capacity building for health professionals from across Africa.
“Tanzania has successfully deployed a new PET scan with the cyclotron and is among 10 African countries to offer such services,” Ndejembi said, adding that the technology would enhance access to medical radiation services in Tanzania and neighbouring countries.
Cancer remains a major global health challenge. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer caused nearly 10 million deaths worldwide in 2024, while about 20.6 million new cases were diagnosed. The number of new cases is projected to rise to about 35 million annually by 2050.
In Tanzania, cancer causes approximately 45,000 deaths each year, according to Ministry of Health figures. The disease also places a significant economic burden on patients and their families, as well as on the government, which bears much of the cost of cancer treatment.
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The government sees the expansion of cancer infrastructure, specialist training and advanced technology as key to strengthening Tanzania’s role in the region’s cancer response.
Ndejembi said continued international cooperation would be important as Tanzania moves into the next phase of its strategy, which includes expanding treatment centres, developing specialist skills, acquiring more advanced technology and mobilising scientific and financial support.
The push comes as African countries continue to face challenges in providing timely cancer diagnosis and treatment, with shortages of infrastructure, equipment and specialist personnel constraining access to care.
