Building a Lifesaving EMS System in Tanzania
Road traffic injuries are a leading cause of death in Tanzania — and many patients never receive organized prehospital care. We’re working to change that.
Our Challenge
Traumatic injuries are a leading cause of death in Tanzania. Mortality from road traffic crashes is estimated to be nearly double the global rate, with most deaths occurring before patients reach hospital care.
Tanzania has no public emergency medical system. Ambulance services operate independently and are often financially inaccessible. Critically ill and injured patients are frequently transported by family members, taxis, or bystanders without medical support.
Northern Tanzania currently lacks:
A centralized emergency dispatch system
Standardized ambulance equipment and medical protocols
Uniform training for prehospital providers
Coordinated communication between field responders and hospitals
Emergency medicine as a hospital specialty is advancing in Tanzania. However, without a structured prehospital system, the chain of survival remains incomplete.
TZEMS is working with Tanzanian partners to design and implement that missing system.
An international partnership of interdisciplinary experts of physicians, nurses, and paramedics working together to build an EMS system that serves everyone.
Tanzanian-led, internationally supported. Our team starts with local expertise and vision, while backed by international experience in emergency medicine, critical care, and pre-hospital care.
Our project works to design and implement a prehospital emergency system in Tanzania. Phase by phase, shaped by data and the specific needs of each community.