On 28/06/2010 the Minister of Health, Prof. David Mwakyusa, appointed St. Francis Hospital as Referral Hospital. Now it is one of 9 Referral Hospitals in Tanzania. That means that all hospitals in the surrounding districts which are not equipped with the necessary personnel and gadgets and can therefore not treat certain patients properly transfer them to Ifakara. Its area of responsibility has been extended this way, and the responsible staff are faced with great new challenges.
Tarehe 28.06.2010 waziri wa afya Prof. David Mwakyusa aliitaja rasmi hospitali ya Mt. Fransisko kuwa hospitali ya rufaa. Hivi inakuwa moja kati ya hospitali tisa (9) za rufaa nchini Tanzania. Hii inamaanisha kuwa, hospitali zote za wilaya zinazozunguka eneo hili zisizokuwa na vifaa na wataalamu wa kutosha na hivyo kutoweza kuwatibu wagonjwa kadhaa ipasavyo, zitakuwa zikiwahamisha kwenda Ifakara. Uwanja wake wa kazi umepanuliwa kwa namna hii na waganga na wauguzi wake sasa wanakabiliwa na changamoto mpya na kubwa.