Zanzibar, known for its beautiful beaches and rich history, attracts millions of tourists yearly. The tourism sector in Zanzibar holds the potential to save lives specifically, the lives of hundreds of children born with congenital heart defects (CHD) who need treatment.
According to research conducted by the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar and UNICEF Tanzania, tourism plays a crucial role in the lives of Zanzibar communities, both economically and socially. It accounts for 27% of Zanzibar’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 80% of its foreign exchange earnings, making it one of the most important industries on the island.
However, this economic driver can also become a tool for saving lives by addressing one of the most pressing healthcare challenges in Zanzibar: congenital heart disease (CHD).
According to the 2022 census, Zanzibar has a population of approximately 1.98 million people, with a birth rate of 35.8 per 1,000. Based on global incidence rates of CHD, between 650 and 810 children are born annually in Zanzibar with congenital heart defects. Of these children, 40-50% will require medical intervention before reaching adulthood, and 20-25% will face critical conditions that demand treatment within their first weeks of life to prevent fatality.
Currently, there is no children’s heart care program on the island. Limited awareness about congenital heart defects, the absence of continuous post-operative care for children treated abroad under non-profit sponsorship, and the lack of maternal and neonatal screening further complicate efforts to address this growing issue.
Our strategy of funding heart treatment through tourism activities organized by One Heart Travel aims to use 50% of our profit to sponsor heart treatment for children. In the big picture, this impact can be amplified by policy adjustments that allow a small portion of tourism revenue to be allocated to healthcare, particularly for critical programs like children’s heart care.
This would make these crucial healthcare services sustainable and affordable for the beneficiaries, reflecting the words of Dr. Devi Shetty, founder of Narayana Hospitals, who said, “It is not a solution if it is not affordable.”
Zanzibar has a unique opportunity to become a global model for how tourism can directly impact the health and well-being of local communities.
The One New Heart Tanzania and One Heart Travel model for children’s heart care, sustained by the tourism sector, offers a life-saving solution for hundreds of children born with congenital heart defects.
This is a call to stakeholders, tourism operators, policymakers, local and international donors, and the Zanzibar community to join forces by using tourism to save lives.