WAF- Dar es Salaam; Minister of Health, Mr. Mohamed Omary Mchengerwa, has officially opened the Third International Conference of PEN-Plus Africa 2026, stressing the need for major reform of health systems in Africa to deal with the increase in non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The meeting, which is held at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Center and brings together health leaders, experts and development partners from various countries.
Speaking on June 23, 2026 during the opening, Minister Mchengerwa on behalf of the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan said non-communicable diseases have become a major threat to development in Africa, involving diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, heart diseases and other chronic diseases.
“According to the statistics of the World Health Organization (WHO), non-communicable diseases cause more than 43 million deaths every year around the world, equivalent to approximately 74 percent of all deaths, while millions die before reaching the age of 70”, said Mchengerwa.
He said that the situation shows the magnitude of the challenge facing the health system in the world and Africa in general.
The minister said that Africa has been bearing the greatest burden of premature deaths due to NCDs, which shows that the problem is not only a health problem but also an economic and social one.
Speaking about the situation in Tanzania, Minister Mchengerwa said deaths from non-communicable diseases have increased from less than 25% in the 1980s to 39% in 2021, while heart diseases have risen to approximately 20% of the population.
Minister Mchengerwa said that cancer alone causes approximately forty-five thousand (45,000) deaths per year in the country, but these diseases have also been bringing a heavy economic burden to families and the government, where cancer treatment and dialysis services take approximately 20 percent of health insurance payments through the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
Minister Mchengerwa has put emphasis on the PEN-Plus strategy which aims to deliver specialist services closer to the people through district hospitals and health centers mentioning that the strategy will reduce distance, costs and preventable deaths, thereby improving the quality of life of patients with chronic diseases.
“Tanzania has increased significant investment in the health sector by improving infrastructure, medical equipment and access to essential drugs, as well as increasing the budget for non-communicable diseases from 7 percent in 2020 to more than 24 percent in 2024”, emphasized Hon. Mchengerwe
Concluding the opening speech, Minister Mchengerwa has called on African countries to increase investment in prevention, health education and regional cooperation, stressing that the future of the continent depends on the health of its citizens while he wants the meeting to be a catalyst for practical results that will help build a strong health system that protects every citizen regardless of where they are.
