Date of publication:

01/08/2026

United Republic of Tanzania (the)

Do domestic laws and policies provide access to secondary and tertiary healthcare services for forcibly displaced and stateless persons?

ANALYSIS

Assessment by population

Refugees
Asylum-seekers
Analysis

In Tanzania, secondary public health care services—such as specialized medical consultations, diagnostic procedures, surgeries, and inpatient hospital care—are generally provided through regional and referral hospitals. While primary health care is more widely available within refugee camps, access to secondary health services for refugees and asylum seekers is more restricted due to legal, financial, and logistical challenges. The legal framework governing refugee health care does not explicitly distinguish between primary and secondary health services, but the practical implementation of these laws and policies reveals significant disparities.

For refugees residing in camps, access to secondary health services is largely dependent on humanitarian organizations, such as UNHCR and its implementing partners, which facilitate referrals to government hospitals. However, the availability of specialized treatment within camps is limited, often requiring transfers to regional or national hospitals, where bureaucratic barriers and financial constraints come into play. Refugees outside camps, including urban refugees, face even greater challenges. Unlike Tanzanian citizens, they are generally excluded from government-subsidized medical care and must pay out of pocket for hospital services, specialist consultations, and advanced medical procedures. Moreover, the exclusion of refugees from national health insurance schemes further compounds the difficulty of accessing affordable secondary health care.

Even though Tanzania has ratified international treaties that emphasize non-discriminatory access to health care, domestic policies continue to enforce restrictions on the movement and financial independence of refugees, indirectly limiting their access to secondary health services. Without formal recognition in national health planning, refugees and asylum seekers are often deprioritized in resource allocation, leaving many without the specialized medical treatment they require.

    LAW & POLICY

    Related provisions of domestic law or policy

    Public Health Act

    Legal provision

    Section 5 - Duties and functions of the Authorities

    Every Authority shall- (a) take lawful, necessary and reasonable measures to prevent the occurrence of or deal with any out-break or prevalence of any infectious or communicable and non-communicable disease; (b) cause an appropriate Environmental Health Impact Assessment Study to be conducted for all activities as may be provided for under the Environmental Management Act; (c) safeguard and promote the public health standards; (d) issue notices for rectification of any breach of public health standards; (e) implement and enforce public health standards through bylaws; (f) promote public health standards in its area through creation of awareness and educational campaigns; (g) carry out inspections; and (h) exercise the powers or perform duties in respect of the public health in accordance with this Act or any other written law

    The Local Government (Urban Authorities) Act

    Legal provision

    Section 54.2 - Basic functions of local government authorities

    For the purposes of the better execution of its functions, whether done alone or in co-operation and conjuction with any other local government authority or other person or body of persons, and subject to this Act or any other relevant written law, a local government authority shall take all such measures as in its opinion are necessary, desirable, conducive or expedient:- (c) for the furtherance and enhancement of the health, education, and the social, cultural and recreational life of the people;

    National Health Policy

    Legal provision

    Section 3.3.2 - Secondary Care Services

    The policy aspires to provide at the district level most of the secondary care which is currently provided at a medical college hospital. Basic secondary care services, such as caesarian section and neonatal care would be made available at the least at sub-divisional level in a cluster of few blocks.

    Community Health Fund Act

    Legal provision

    Section 9 - Health care services to members

    Subject to the provisions of this Act, every members' household shall be entitled to medical services of its choice which have been prepaid for at a preselected health care facility within the respective district.

    National Health Insurance Fund Act

    Legal provision

    Section 12.1 - Entitlement to benefit

    A member whose contributions have been paid for three months after the coming into operation of the Fund shall be entitled to the benefit package under the Fund.