Tanzania’s First Lady Launches AMREF’s Maternal Child Health Project
First Lady of the United Republic of Tanzania, Salma Kikwete officially launched a four year project that will work to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality in Mtwara and Tandahimba districts Tanzania during the White Ribbon Day Celebrations held on March.
The project will work with the District administration, the District Medical Officer’s office and the Reproductive Child Health Units in Mtwara and Tandahimba in planning, budgeting, management and evaluation of maternal, newborn and child health activities.
The launch event brought together organizations working to improve maternal health in Tanzania including AMREF, CARE, PSI, Women’s Dignity and Jhpiego. The theme of this year’s White Ribbon Day Celebration was Invest in Maternal and Newborn Health for Reduced Poverty and Enhanced Economic Growth.
During her speech at Celebrations, the First Lady Salma Kikwete championed the need for Tanzania to invest in maternal and newborn child health. Some of the specific activities mentioned were;
- Training more health professionals in maternal and child health
- Deploying skilled health workers to health facilities remote regions
- Providing medical equipment and supplies
- Improving infrastructure for delivery, post natal and laboratory services
- Establishing neonatal health units
The newly launched AMREF project will work in line with Tanzania’s Primary Health Sector Development Plan. The plan focuses on empowering communities to actively participate in improving their own health while training health workers.
Maternal and Child Health in Tanzania
Approximately 8,000 women every year die in Tanzania because of maternal health complications, a significant loss within the country’s productive labour force.
For example, more than 85% of the total population in the Mtwara rural district depends on agriculture; half of the district’s agriculture workers are women.
