Since the opening of the outpatient clinic in 2008, significant progress has been made towards meeting AFAS’s goal of serving the local Karatu population and reaching out to the larger, underserved population of Northern Tanzania by providing comprehensive primary care. In 2020 alone there were well over 26,000 patient visits representing numerous different tribes. The dramatic and sustained increase in patients from the neighboring district of Ngorongoro, who are predominantly Maasai, points to success in our outreach efforts. Over a ten-year period there have been over 140,000 patient visits at AFAS Medical.

The most common diseases our doctors treat in children and adults include acute respiratory infections, pneumonia, hypertension, gastrointestinal disease, skin infections, urinary tract infections, diabetes, ear infections, and sexually transmitted diseases. Our team also cares for patients suffering

from burns, wounds, and injuries – providing diagnostic work-ups using our laboratory, EKG, and radiology if needed.

We are not only working to meet the primary healthcare needs of an entire community; we are continually striving to get better at what we do. We are seeing an increasing number of patients with chronic disease processes like Diabetes, Hypertension and Epilepsy. We are bringing key specialty services to patients who would otherwise die or suffer life-long disabilities.

Through a graduated fee structure and elective services,AFAS to provide poor families with the same access to medical treatment as those with greater resources. The costs for reduced rate or free treatment are subsidized by a combination of donations, grants, and higher fees for patients from certain categories (e.g., insured Tanzanians, expatriates living in Tanzania, and tourists).