Health facilities from low level to the highest level through which a referral system go through

The following are health facilities from low level to the highest level through which a referral system go through.

Example in Tanzania

Dispensary Services

• The dispensary caters for 6,000 to 10,000 people and supervises all the village health posts in its ward.

• This is the first level where patients are attended to.

• If the patient cannot be attended to, at this level because of the complexity of the condition is then referred to the next level which is a health Centre

Health Centre Services


• A health Centre is expected to cater for 50,000 people which is approximately the population of one administrative division.


• This is the second level where patients are attended to.


• If the patient cannot be attended to at this level because of the complexity of the condition is then referred to the next level which is a District Hospitals.

District Hospitals

• The district is a very important level in the provision of health services in the country each district is supposed to have a district hospital.


• For those districts which do not have, Government normally negotiates with religious organizations to designate voluntary hospitals get subventions from the Government to contract terms. Patients are referred to here from Health centers and dispensaries present within the District

Regional Hospitals

• Every region is supposed to have a hospital.

• Regional Hospital offer similar services like those agreed at district level, however regional hospitals have specialists in various fields and offer additional services which are not provided at district hospitals. Patients from districts are referred to these hospitals for further management

Referral/Consultant Hospitals

• This is the highest level of hospital services in the country presently there are four referral hospitals namely,

• the Muhimbili National Hospital which cater the eastern zone.

• Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) which cater for the northern zone.

• Bugando Hospital which cater for the western zone.

• Mbeya Hospital which serves the southern Highlands.