Dar es Salaam, Oct. 14 -- As Tanzania commemorates the 25th anniversary of Mwalimu Julius Nyereres passing, his contributions to the nations health sector remain a lasting legacy.

Nyerere, born on April 13, 1922, in Butiama, Mara Region, passed away on October 14, 1999, in a London hospital where he was receiving treatment.

After gaining independence in 1961, Nyerere declared a war against three major challenges: poverty, ignorance, and disease.

His government prioritized universal access to free healthcare, establishing numerous health facilities across the country through the Ujamaa policy, which aimed to ensure that all citizens could receive medical care close to home.

Prior to independence, health services were predominantly avai...