IAEA Review Finds Tanzania Advancing Cancer Care but Calls for More Workforce Investment

The 2025 review evaluated Tanzania’s progress since the last assessment in 2006, providing insights to shape future national cancer plans and help secure funding for expanded services.

A joint imPACT Review by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has found that Tanzania has made important strides in expanding cancer services, including the opening of a new radiotherapy center in the Kilimanjaro region. The review recommends continued investment—especially in oncology workforce development, preventive programs, and infrastructure—to address the country’s rapidly growing cancer burden.

Tanzania records over 40,000 new cancer cases annually, with cervical cancer accounting for more than 60% of diagnoses among women. Among men, prostate cancer leads, followed by oesophageal cancer. Alarmingly, over 70% of all patients present at late stages, increasing treatment complexity and straining national health systems.

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A Comprehensive Assessment to Guide Tanzania’s New Cancer Strategy

The 2025 review evaluated Tanzania’s progress since the last assessment in 2006, providing insights to shape future national cancer plans and help secure funding for expanded services.

In September, 11 international experts from IAEA, WHO and IARC met with national authorities and visited cancer facilities in Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Dodoma and Zanzibar.

Permanent Secretary Seif Shekalaghe of the Ministry of Health praised the review as a timely tool to guide future improvements:

“Tanzania has strengthened infrastructure, expanded human resource capacity and refined our policy framework. This review helps us identify next steps and chart the course forward.”

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Progress in Cancer Prevention and HPV Vaccination

The review recognized progress driven by the 2013–2022 National Cancer Control Strategy, particularly in prevention and early detection.

Key progress areas:

• Tobacco control: Modest reduction in adult smoking rates, with reviewers urging stronger taxation and anti-smoking campaigns.

• Cervical cancer prevention: Tanzania introduced single-dose HPV vaccination in 2024, achieving an impressive 98% coverage among girls aged 9–14 years through school-based programs. The government was encouraged to improve outreach to out-of-school girls.

• Screening initiatives: Pilot HPV testing programs have been launched but require wider scale-up.

Dr. Partha Basu of IARC underscored the urgency:

“Expanding population-wide screening and early diagnosis through a phased, resource-sensitive approach remains a critical priority.”

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Urgent Need to Expand and Train Tanzania’s Oncology Workforce

Despite progress, disparities exist:

• Half of all pathologists are concentrated in Dar es Salaam, leaving other regions underserved.

• Training capacity in oncology-related fields is improving, with high retention rates that could support expansion through telepathology and outreach programs.

Training and workforce recommendations:

• Strengthen training in interventional radiology, mammography, nuclear medicine, medical physics, and radiopharmacy.

• Expand the clinical oncology training established with IAEA support at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI).

• Leverage Tanzania’s new undergraduate and postgraduate medical physics programs to build a pipeline of specialists.

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Decentralizing Cancer Services: A Major Milestone

Tanzania is working to decentralize cancer care away from Dar es Salaam:

New and planned radiotherapy centers:

• Kilimanjaro region — newly opened

• Dodoma — planned

• Mbeya — planned

• Zanzibar — planned

These expansions are supported through the IAEA’s Rays of Hope initiative, which aims to improve access to safe and effective radiation medicine in low-resource settings.

Remaining challenges:

• Shortage of specialized oncology staff

• Frequent equipment breakdowns

• Insufficient radiotherapy machines for a population exceeding 60 million

Reviewers recommended:

• Hiring in-house engineers for faster equipment servicing

• Establishing multidisciplinary care teams

• Creating robust quality assurance programs

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Strengthening Partnerships for Long-Term Progress

IAEA Programme Management Officer Azza Kashlan reaffirmed the agency’s long-term commitment:

“Through technical cooperation and human health programs, the IAEA has supported Tanzania’s efforts to enhance cancer care. This strong partnership will continue to expand access to diagnosis, treatment, and positive patient outcomes.”

Participants also emphasized the need for:

• Stronger local and national institutional capacity

• Greater community involvement

• Direct access to international climate and health financing mechanisms

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A Clear Path Forward

Tanzania has made significant progress in improving cancer diagnosis and care, but persistent challenges—including workforce shortages and limited access to early detection—must be addressed urgently to meet rising demand.

The imPACT Review arms policymakers with evidence-based guidance to strengthen cancer services, expand radiotherapy access and improve outcomes for thousands of Tanzanians each year.