Benjamin Mkapa Hospital (BMH) in Dodoma, Tanzania, has successfully performed minimally invasive heart surgery on three children from Burundi for the first time, marking a milestone in the country's efforts to become a regional hub for specialized healthcare.
The surgeries, which took place in early July 2026, were conducted by a team of Tanzanian and international specialists. The children, aged between 4 and 10, had congenital heart defects that were corrected using catheter-based techniques, avoiding open-heart surgery.
Dr. John Mng'ong'o, the hospital's director, stated that the procedures were part of a broader initiative to expand access to advanced cardiac care in East Africa. The hospital plans to train more local surgeons in these techniques.
This development is expected to reduce the need for patients from neighboring countries to travel abroad for such treatments, potentially saving lives and reducing healthcare costs in the region.
