The referral System (structure) starts from the community level (village) up to the treatment abroad. The following pyramid, shows Health Service System (Structure) in Tanzania

Health Services System (Structure)

The health system and especially the Governments referral system assumes a pyramidal pattern of a referral system recommended by health planners, that is from dispensary to Consultant Hospital (Better Health In Africa, 1993). 

The structure of health services at various levels in the country is as follows: 

1.      Village Health Service

This is the lowest level of health care delivery in the country. They essentially provide preventive services which can be offered in homes. Usually each village Health post have two village health workers chosen by the village government amongst the villagers and be given a short training before they start providing services. 

2.      Dispensary Services

This is the second stage of health services. The dispensary cater for between 6,000 to 10,000 people and supervise all the village health posts in its ward.

3.      Health Centre Services

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

4.      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 donate have Government normally negotiates with religious organizations to designate voluntary hospitals get subventions from the Government to contract terms.

5.      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.

6.      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; and Mbeya Hospital which serves the southern Highlands.