Chinese Government provides RMB 63.5 million grant for establishment of the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute

During the Forum on China-Africa Coorperation in 2006, China agreed to fund and build a cardiac surgery treatment and training center (also known as Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute or 援坦桑尼亚心脏外科诊疗培训中心项目) in Tanzania's Muhimbili National Hospital. The total cost of the project was 26.6 billion TZS ($15.8 million USD).

The construction was shared between the governments of China and Tanzania. China's contribution to the project was 63.5 million RMB. In 2008, the Chinese government sent a team to Dar es Saleem for initial design and technical study for the center.

On May 25, 2009, China Shandong International Economic and Technical Cooperation Corporation (SIETC) won the bid to build the hospital.

On July 18, 2009, the contract signing ceremony was held at the Tanzania Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and SIETC undertook the task of constructing the facility. On March 31, 2010, the project was officially launched. On February 6, 2012, it was completed and handed over to Tanzanian government.

On April 27, 2014, the facility was officially put into operation.

In April 2015, the cardiac surgery treatment and training center was separated from the Muhimbili National Hospital and renamed the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute.

Built upon the request of the Tanzanian Ministry of Health and Welfare, the cardiac surgery treatment and training center in Muhimbili National Hospital is one of 30 aid projects involving the construction of hospitals.

At present, the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute is the only specialist hospital for cardiac diseases in the whole territory of Tanzania and has become the largest and best specialist hospital for cardiac diseases in East Africa. As well as many Tanzanian citizens, patients also attend this hospital from other countries in East Africa.