TANZANIA · NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY
Key Facts
- —What is happening Tanzania plans to raise the number of hospitals using nuclear technology from three to between six and nine, the head of its atomic energy commission said on Thursday, 22 October 2026.
- —Why it matters The plan would take nuclear science from a few hospitals toward wider medical care, while the same agency prepares an international review of its plan to generate nuclear electricity.
- —The numbers Hospitals using nuclear technology would rise from three to between six and nine, and an initial international review of the nuclear power plan is expected in May 2027. The hospital figure is a plan, not a completed expansion.
- —Who is who Prof Najat Mohamed directs the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission, the state nuclear authority, and also leads Women in Nuclear Tanzania, a professional network of women working in the sector.
- —What to watch The next markers are the initial review by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which TAEC expects in May 2027, and any published list of the six to nine hospitals.
- —What it means for you US readers should see a health and energy signal, because the plan came at a Russian-backed forum, and no equipment purchase or supplier deal is known.
Tanzania wants six to nine hospitals using nuclear technology, up from three, its atomic energy chief said on Thursday, 22 October. The plan covers medical care, not power generation.
Tanzania plans to expand nuclear technology from three hospitals to between six and nine, the Daily News reported on Thursday, 22 October. Prof Najat Mohamed, director general of the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission (TAEC), gave the figures at a Dar es Salaam forum.
The hospitals would use nuclear technology for medical care, not to make electricity. For US readers, the story shows how a forum backed by Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, links Tanzania’s health and power plans.
What Tanzania Announced on Nuclear Technology
The Daily News, a state owned daily in Dar es Salaam, quoted Prof Najat at the Russia-Africa Women’s Forum on Thursday. It reported plans to expand nuclear technology in healthcare, from three hospitals to between six and nine.
The Daily News headline says the number rises to nine, but its text speaks only of a plan for six to nine. This report follows the text, so the target is a range.
Prof Najat said Tanzania has also used nuclear technology to breed improved crop varieties, including rice varieties recognised internationally. She did not name the three hospitals that use the technology now, according to the Daily News account.
TAEC is the state authority for nuclear science and radiation safety in Tanzania. Prof Najat also leads Women in Nuclear Tanzania, a network of women in the sector.
How Hospitals Use Nuclear Technology
In hospitals, nuclear technology means scans that show how tissues work and radiation that treats tumours. Dr Harun Makandi, of the education and science ministry, urged young women to study nuclear engineering and its healthcare uses.
The Chanzo reported in February 2026 that Ocean Road Cancer Institute opened a PET-CT scanner, an imaging machine that spots cancer early. It said the TSh18.2 billion (about US$6.9 million) project includes a cyclotron, which makes medical isotopes.
The Chanzo said a PET-CT scan trip to India cost TSh6 million to TSh8 million (about US$2,270 to US$3,020). It said the institute charges TSh1.2 million (about US$450).
The Chanzo said Health Minister Mohammed Mchengerwa expects the scanner to save about TSh5 billion (about US$1.9 million) a year. It also said more than 44,000 new cancer cases are diagnosed in Tanzania each year.
Nuclear Technology Meets the Power Plan
Prof Najat said Tanzania is in the early stages of preparing for nuclear power generation, with a committee coordinating the groundwork. She said the UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, will scrutinise it, with an initial review expected in May 2027.
Tanzania has not built a reactor, and no site or financing has been announced. The Rio Times covered the longer power timetable on 19 October in a separate report on Tanzania’s nuclear power plans.
The Swahili daily HabariLeo reported on 5 July that TAEC aims for nuclear electricity within about seven years. Prof Najat said then that Tanzania had not formally started phase one but had finished preliminary preparations.
The forum was organised by Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, and TAEC. Prof Najat said delegates came from eight African countries, including Egypt, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia and Rwanda.
Aleksandra Ryabykh, head of the Association of Women in Nuclear Russia, said women make up 33 per cent of Rosatom’s workforce. She cited figures attributed to the IAEA and called the forum a continuation of long standing cooperation with African countries.
What It Means for US Readers
Tanzania has more than 60 million people, The Chanzo noted, so its health choices shape a market for imported equipment. No equipment purchase or supplier linked to the hospital plan has been reported.
The reports name no US company, agency or donor in this expansion. Any US link is indirect, through the IAEA’s safety work, which Washington supports.
US travellers and investors should not read this as a change in risk. A plan to add hospital services does not alter safety, security or entry rules for visitors to Tanzania.
What Is Not Known
The figure rests on one outlet, the Daily News, quoting Prof Najat. No written TAEC statement, Ministry of Health release or second independent report of her remarks could be found.
The three hospitals using nuclear technology today are not named, and neither are the six to nine planned sites. No budget, timetable or equipment list has been published, and the PET-CT and cancer figures come only from The Chanzo.
It is also unclear how the hospital plan will be paid for. The IAEA has not been quoted confirming the May 2027 review, so that date is TAEC’s expectation only.
What Comes Next
The first signal will be a list of the target hospitals and a funding source from TAEC or the Ministry of Health. The next international marker is the initial IAEA review that Prof Najat expects in May 2027.
The plan does not mean Tanzania has approved a nuclear power plant or chosen a reactor design. It also does not show that any new hospital has started using the technology.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Tanzanian hospitals use nuclear technology?
The Daily News reported a plan to raise the number from three to between six and nine, citing Prof Najat Mohamed. The report does not name the hospitals.
Is Tanzania building a nuclear power plant?
No plant has been approved or sited. TAEC says it is preparing, with an initial IAEA review expected in May 2027.
What is the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission?
TAEC is the Tanzanian state authority for nuclear science and radiation safety. Prof Najat Mohamed is its director general.
Why was a Russian group at the forum?
The Russia-Africa Women’s Forum was organised with Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, and TAEC. HabariLeo reported on 5 July that a large uranium mining project is expected to start at Mkuju River in Ruvuma.
Does this affect US travellers?
No change to travel or safety rules has been announced. The hospital plan concerns medical services inside Tanzania.
Sources: Daily News, Tanzania increases number of hospitals using nuclear technology; Daily News, Russia affirms its readiness; Daily News, Call for Tanzanian women; HabariLeo, Tanzania mbioni kuzalisha umeme wa nyuklia; The Chanzo, New PET-CT scanner; Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission; The Rio Times, Tanzania Nuclear Power Sought Within 7 Years (all accessed 22 October 2026; TSh converted at 2,647.55 per US$, open.er-api.com, 22 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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