Tanzania's Education Minister, Professor Adolf Mkenda, has urged increased investment in health research to reduce dependence on foreign pharmaceutical technologies and address domestic health challenges.

During a visit to the Ifakara Health Institute, Mkenda outlined a vision for expanding the country's scientific research capabilities, emphasizing the need for modern infrastructure, equipment, and collaboration between education, health sectors, and research institutions.

He highlighted the importance of validating medicines through local pre-clinical studies, securing intellectual property rights, and leveraging Tanzania's natural resources for pharmaceutical development.

The minister also called for long-term planning to acquire advanced research tools, such as genetic analysis technology, to accelerate progress in areas like malaria vaccine research.International cooperation, including partnerships with Russian institutions, was emphasized to enhance training and technical capacity.

Mkenda stressed that the initiative is a public health imperative, not a commercial venture, aiming to improve Tanzanians' health and build sustainable self-reliance in medical innovation.