TANZANIA— The Mt Meru Regional Referral Hospital’s M-mama Dispatch Centre, has received Tanzania’s Vice President, Hon. Dr. Philip Mpango, and USAID Administrator Samantha Power.
The tour of the M-mama Dispatch Centre aimed to highlight the vital role played by M-mama in advancing maternal healthcare services and empowering communities across Tanzania.
During the visit, they had the opportunity to witness firsthand the impactful work being done by M-mama in improving maternal and child health outcomes in Tanzania.
They were greeted by the dedicated team at the center, alongside Vodacom Tanzania’s Managing Director and key Ministers who provided a comprehensive overview of the innovative solution and initiatives implemented by m-mama to tackle maternal healthcare challenges in remote areas.
The delegation also had the opportunity to speak with beneficiaries of the program including new mothers, nurses, and community drivers, who shared their stories and how the program has impacted their lives, since the launch in Arusha in March 2023.
Samantha Power remarked, “I have been to many places around the world, but I can think of no program or project that I have visited anywhere in the world that is as exciting and cost-effective as m-mama.”
Powers recognized the extraordinary work done by the government of Tanzania in implementing the impactful program that is going to get more impact with time, saving the lives of mothers and newborns as more people know about it and more volunteers emerge to help drive vulnerable mothers and their children to medical care.
Amb. Michael Beatle, U.S. ambassador to Tanzania, who was also present added that this type of public-private partnership, which began with the host government’s dream, represented the best kind of development diplomacy.
Vice President Mpango expressed, “I take this opportunity to thank our development partners, Vodacom Tanzania Foundation and its partner Vodafone Foundation, USAID, as well as the implementers of this program Touch Foundation and Pathfinder International for your cooperation in implementing the country’s priorities in various sectors including the health sector, as we see in this strategy to reduce maternal and infant mortality.”
Vodacom Tanzania’s Managing Director, Philip Besiimire, echoed these sentiments shared emphasizing the importance of similar initiatives in promoting sustainable development.
“m-mama exemplifies the potential of leveraging technology to make a tangible difference in people’s lives. It serves as a model for empowering communities and strengthening healthcare systems, which aligns perfectly with the Government of Tanzania, Vodacom, and USAID’s commitment to fostering inclusive growth and wellbeing,” said Besiimire.
M-mama is a trailblazing initiative for Tanzania’s mothers
M-mama, according to the Vodafone Foundation, is a groundbreaking mobile health initiative that ensures no mother is left isolated or uniformed, transforming her mobile device into a beacon of hope.
The foundation also notes that M-mama has conducted 25,000 emergency transports in Tanzania, and the digital health solution connects mothers to nearby ambulances or community drivers, potentially saving their lives and the lives of their children.
The Vodacom Tanzania Foundation and the Vodafone Foundation work together to implement the m-mama program in Tanzania and both foundations have pledged to invest US$10 million over six years beginning in 2022, with government support.
Vodafone expects m-mama to transport 300,000+ women, empower 1,400+ community dispatchers, and save over 9,000 lives and by 2027, the initiative will be fully integrated into Tanzania’s healthcare system.
The M-mama emergency response system was launched in Kenya, in June with a US$14 million investment from Vodafone Foundation, Kenyan Government, USAID, Safaricom, and M-Pesa Foundation.
The M-mama program began its journey in 2013, it was piloted in Sengerema and Buchosa districts in the Mwanza region and later in the Shinyanga region.
The pilot revealed significant success, m-mama was able to reduce maternal mortality by 38% in the Shinyanga region alone.
Following a successful pilot, in 2022, USAID and Vodafone committed to scale the M-mama program within Tanzania.
Currently, m-mama is available, via a toll-free number, in 16 regions in Tanzania Mainland and all regions of Zanzibar. To date, twenty-five thousand emergency transports have been completed therefore saving more than 700 lives that would have been lost if this program did not exist.
The visit by Vice President Mpango and USAID Administrator Samantha Power reflects the strong partnership between the Government of Tanzania, the United States, and the private sector in addressing critical healthcare challenges.
It highlights their shared commitment to working with the private sector and leveraging innovative approaches and investing in sustainable solutions for the betterment of Tanzanian communities.
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