Tanzania Connects 220 Health Centers Digitally

Why this is here: More than 220 health centers in Tanzania now have the capacity for digital communication, improving information access and referrals across the country.

Tanzania’s Minister of Health, Mohamed Mchengerwa, announced the country is leading digital health transformation in Africa. He spoke May 18, 2026, in Geneva, at a side event during the World Health Assembly. The country has connected over 220 health centers, enabling digital communication and streamlining patient information and referrals from local clinics to larger hospitals.

Previously, Tanzania used fragmented digital systems. Now, the government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan has prioritized national integration through a unified communication system. Patients transferring between facilities no longer need to carry paper records, as medical histories are accessible electronically.

Telemedicine services are expanding to roughly 25 hospitals to address healthcare worker shortages in rural areas. The government also uses mobile technology to register households and monitor maternal and child health.

While Tanzania is exploring artificial intelligence for early disease outbreak detection and image analysis, officials emphasize AI will support—not replace—healthcare workers, while protecting patient data. The work to build a sustainable, integrated digital health system continues.