Instigated in 1954 as part of the Selian Lutheran ministry, the hospital's emphasis was, as it is now, on providing orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation, serving the disabled and injured. The staff of 180 cares for over 55,000 patient visits annually.

A leader in medical and preventative health care, Selian cares for the health needs of around a million people. Through dispensaries, community health, its own increasing facilities and creation of the Arusha Town Clinic, Selian reaches out to the many people from all social strata who seek quality, compassionate medical care. The clear need for more hospital beds, obstetric care and more specialty services saw Selian plan to construct a new 78-bed hospital offering full services including:

• Specialty orthopaedic care for crippled children
• Fistula repair for women injured during childbirth
• Reconstructive and remedial surgery
• Cancer therapy for children
• The Selian AIDS Control Program
• A hospice/palliative care unit for the terminally ill
• Continuing medical education for clinical officers, physicians and nurses

Construction of the US$7.6 million 150 bed project began in June 2005, with the intention of opening the hospital in September 2007.

Selian continues to be severely challenged by dramatic economic realities: Tanzania is one of the 10 poorest countries in the world, meaning their low-cost care is often unaffordable to many.

For Selian to continue and to expand its work, it has begun an active fund-raising program in order to fund major capital and ongoing expenditures.

It will also rely on income from the Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre to generate sufficient profits to will help offset the chronic deficit at Selian Lutheran Hospital.