Bloomberg Philanthropies, Fondation H&B Agerup through EngenderHealth (www.EngenderHealth.org) has constructed and equipped maternal buildings that include labor wards antenatal and postnatal clinics, rooms to provide service to women with post abortion complications and family planning as well as maternity wards in 24 dispensaries. Through the support, 2 dispensaries have been renovated and equipped, making a total of 26 dispensaries that have been upgraded to provide quality maternal, neonatal, newborn and reproductive health care in Kigoma Region. The total cost for the support is worth USD 1,342,144 in which USD 1,138,244 was used for construction and renovation, and USD 203,900 for procurement of equipment. 

In the implementation, EngenderHealth worked in close collaboration with the Tanzania Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MoHCGEC), Thamini Uhai, the U.S. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Kigoma Regional Health Management Team and District/council Health Management Teams.

This work aims at increasing access to quality family planning and other reproductive health services in Kigoma region through expanding availability of comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care, comprehensive post abortion care and FP services, with emphasis on long acting reversible contraception and permanent methods in Kigoma region.

Through Bloomberg and Agerup support, 13 health centers in Kigoma (Nyanzige, Kifura, Kiganamo, Bitale, Ilagala, Kalya and Muyama) have been upgraded through construction, including operating theaters, renovation, equipment and training of staff to be able to provide comprehensive emergency obstetric care that includes surgical interventions and blood transfusion in order to save lives of women with complications related to childbirth. EngenderHealth and Thamini Uhai are supporting 83 facilities in the region by training and mentoring of service providers on Family Planning, comprehensive post abortion care, comprehensive emergency obstetric care, renovation of health facilities equipping and supplementation of supplies whenever need be.

Guest honor Deputy Minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children Hon. Dr. Hamisi Kigwangalla said, “We are very grateful to Bloomberg Philanthropies and Fondation H & B Agerup and EngenderHealth, for the construction of these facilities that will provide the much needed- maternal health to our women and children in Kigoma Region. We call upon other stakeholders and well-wishers to come up and offer similar support in other regions.”

Bloomberg Philanthropies representative Dr. Godson Maro said: “We have been working in the country since 2006. During that time, we have managed to achieve a lot including upgrading of a total 17 health centres that are now offering labor/maternal and neonatal services and thus contributing to reduce the number of maternal deaths.

“We urge the government to put more efforts on the anesthesiology cadre that is highly needed in every facility that is providing surgical services. The number available in Kigoma is very inadequate.”

EngenderHealth Tanzania’s Country Representative, Lulu Ng’wanakilala, said, “We are very thankful for the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Fondation H&B Agerup, and strong partnerships with government which has been made all of this possible. We will continue to strengthen our collaboration so as to improve the health and well-being of women, men and families in the region.”