Dr John Jingu, the health permanent secretary welcomed the delegation led by Prof. Babagana Zulum, the Health commissioner for Borno State north of Nigeria, saying that Tanzania feels happy to receive the delegation and exchange information and ideas on how the country managed to reduce maternal mortality.
The Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey and the Malaria Indicator Survey for 2022 show that maternal mortality had gone down to 104 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2022 from 530 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015/2016.
He credited the reduction of maternal and child deaths as anchored in the M-mama system, described online as an affordable emergency transport service that connects mothers and newborns to vital life-saving healthcare in the rural areas.
He said the system has shown success, as evidence of creativity and investments in fighting maternal and child deaths, which is now attracting a range of experts and administrators from other countries to see how it works.
He said the Nigeria delegation was told how firm leadership had contributed to the success as the period from 2016 to 2022 saw vast investments in the health sector, including quality equipment and workforce.
The government has invested in robust strategies to fight maternal mortality ensuring safe deliveries plus services to mothers and babies, he said, affirming that the stride implies that Tanzania is on the right track to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number three, to ensure healthy lives and promote the well-being of all ages.
SDG vision has it that by 2030, maternal mortality should not exceed 70 deaths per 100,000 births, thus the drop to 104 deaths was a clear indication that it is possible to arrive at the set goals, he stated.
The new system of safe delivery is currently used in 30 district councils on a trial basis before the second phase is rolled out in 110 councils, he said, noting that important stakeholders in the community are fully involved.
In his remarks, Prof Zulum said Nigeria is still backward in the prevention of maternal and child deaths, thus Borno State sought to look at Tanzanian efforts.
“There is no good place to go to learn like your relatives, so due to the big steps that Tanzania has taken as a nation in reducing maternal and child deaths, we saw it better to come and see how you have achieved this, for us as well to apply the techniques to our country . It is an indisputable fact that we in Nigeria have not yet made progress in this area,” he declared.
The visit also helps to strengthen relations between the two countries and open up greater collaboration, he added.
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