The polyclinic, which is located in Stone Town, will provide eye services, blood purification, bodily examinations, dental, laboratory and emergency services.
The investment in improving the polyclinic building and purchasing medical equipment was done through a loan of Sh2 billion from the French Development Agency (AFD), whereby it expects to serve 150,000 patients per year.
Speaking during its launch yesterday, the wife of the President of Zanzibar, Mariam Mwinyi, congratulated His Highness the Aga Khan and AKDN for their unique commitment to improve the health and well-being of people around the world, especially in Zanzibar.
“The government is making great efforts to expand the capacity and upgrade quality of health centres and improve the health of its citizens, the priority is to improve the provision of maternal, child and adolescent services,” she said.
“We recognize and appreciate the relationship between the Government of Zanzibar and the Aga Khan network, which has lasted for more than 100 years as AKDN has been contributing to reducing poverty and improving education, health and economic development,” she said.
According to Mama Mwinyi, the opening of the Aga Khan Polyclinic is an important investment in health infrastructure that will also help other professionals from Zanzibar hospitals to acquire that knowledge through it.
She asked AKDN to look at how to invest in Pemba as well in basic services while inviting His Highness the Aga Khan to also invest in other economic, heritage and environmental areas.
For her part, Her Highness Princess Zahra Aga Khan said since they started to provide health services in 1929 until now, AKHS will continue to provide quality and sustainable services to people.
She said that in 2021, AKHS served more than one million patients at international standards and hence it will continue to ensure that the best services are provided to the community.
For his part, the Director of Medicine and Health at the AKHS Institute, Dr Harrison Chuwa, said there are 26 polyclics across Tanzania and the Unguja polyclinic is the 27th and that Zanzibar it has been given priority to be installed with all the necessary equipment including CT Scan.
“From the first day we started providing testing services, there has been a shortage of these services here, so we have come to support the efforts of the Zanzibar government,” said Dr Chuwa.
He said they will also offer training for professionals.
“We welcome you as, we offer training opportunities, and change technology, doctors from government hospitals are welcome to provide services here and we will also go to those hospitals to do the same,” he said.
For his part, the French Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Nabil Hajlaoui, said they will continue to support the efforts of the presidents due to their plans to prioritize education and health to maintain the cordial relations that have lasted for many years.
The Minister for Tourism and Antiquities, Mr Mohamed Simai, said the polyclic will help provide quality services to tourists visiting Zanzibar.
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Air Tanzania Banned From EU Airspace Due to Safety Concerns
Several airports have since locked Air Tanzania, dealing a severe blow to the Tanzanian national carrier that must now work overtime to regain its certification or go the wet lease way
The European Commission has announced the inclusion of Air Tanzania on the EU Air Safety List, effectively banning the airline from operating in European airspace.
The decision, made public on December 16, 2024, is based on safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which also led to the denial of Air Tanzania’s application for a Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation.
The Commission did not go into the specifics of the safety infringement but industry experts suggest it is possible that the airline could have flown its Airbus A220 well past its scheduled major checks, thus violating the airworthiness directives.
“The decision to include Air Tanzania in the EU Air Safety List underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards for passengers in Europe and worldwide,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism.
“We strongly urge Air Tanzania to take swift and decisive action to address these safety issues. I have offered the Commission’s assistance to the Tanzanian authorities in enhancing Air Tanzania’s safety performance and achieving full compliance with international aviation standards.”
Air Tanzania has a mixed fleet of modern aircraft types including Boeing 787s, 737 Max jets, and Airbus A220s.
It has been flying the B787 Dreamliner to European destinations like Frankfurt in Germany and Athens in Greece and was looking to add London to its growing list with the A220.
But the ban not only scuppers the London dream but also has seen immediate ripple effect, with several airports – including regional like Kigali and continental – locking out Air Tanzania.
Tanzania operates KLM alongside the national carrier.
The European Commission said Air Tanzania may be permitted to exercise traffic rights by using wet-leased aircraft of an air carrier which is not subject to an operating ban, provided that the relevant safety standards are complied with.
A wet lease is where an airline pays to use an aircraft with a crew, fuel, and insurance all provided by the leasing company at a fee.
Two more to the list
The EU Air Safety List, maintained to ensure passenger safety, is updated periodically based on recommendations from the EU Air Safety Committee.
The latest revision, which followed a meeting of aviation safety experts in Brussels from November 19 to 21, 2024, now includes 129 airlines.
Of these, 100 are certified in 15 states where aviation oversight is deemed insufficient, and 29 are individual airlines with significant safety deficiencies.
Alongside Air Tanzania, other banned carriers include Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Avior Airlines (Venezuela), and Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran).
Commenting on the broader implications of the list, Tzitzikostas stated, “Our priority remains the safety of every traveler who relies on air transport. We urge all affected airlines to take these bans seriously and work collaboratively with international bodies to resolve the identified issues.”
In a positive development, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been cleared to resume operations in the EU following a four-year suspension. The ban, which began in 2020, was lifted after substantial improvements in safety performance and oversight by PIA and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
“Since the TCO Authorisation was suspended, PIA and PCAA have made remarkable progress in enhancing safety standards,” noted Tzitzikostas. “This demonstrates that safety issues can be resolved through determination and cooperation.”
Another Pakistani airline, Airblue Limited, has also received EASA’s TCO authorisation.
Decisions to include or exclude airlines from the EU Air Safety List are based on rigorous evaluations of international safety standards, particularly those established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
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The process involves thorough review and consultation among EU Member State aviation safety experts, with oversight from the European Commission and support from EASA.
“Where an airline currently on the list believes it complies with the required safety standards, it can request a reassessment,” explained Tzitzikostas. “Our goal is not to penalize but to ensure safety compliance globally.”
Airlines listed on the EU Air Safety List face significant challenges to their international operations, as the bans highlight shortcomings in safety oversight by their home regulatory authorities.
For Air Tanzania, this inclusion signals an urgent need for reform within Tanzania’s aviation sector to address these deficiencies and align with global standards.
The path forward will require immediate and sustained efforts to rectify safety concerns and regain access to one of the world’s most critical aviation markets.
Source: allafrica.com
MGAO WA MAJI WAWATESA WAZANZIBARI
Wananchi wengi hasa katika maeneo ya Mjini Unguja, wanalalamikia ukosefu wa maji safi na salama huku Mamlaka ya Maji Zanzibar ikikabiliwa na changamoto ya ukosefu wa ujuzi na wataalam katika masuala ya uandisi wa Maji na fani nyengine.Continue Reading
‘Sovereignty alone won’t solve Zanzibar economic woes’
The ruling party in Zanzibar on Monday , March 13, responded to growing demands for full autonomy in the Islands, saying sovereignty doesn’t guarantee economic strength.Continue Reading
