Project profile — Making Motherhood Safe

The expected outcomes of this project include : (1) improved access to quality gender-sensitive maternal and newborn health services in Dar es Salaam and surrounding areas; (2) strengthened capacities of district and regional health management teams; (3) improved quality of care; (4) improved referral system; (5) better trained health care providers; and (6) improved procedures, systems and support services at the Maternity and Newborn Hospital.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (November 2021) include: (1) mitigated direct and indirect impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on increased maternal and neonatal mortality in Dar es Salaam; (2) ensured continuity of maternal and newborn health care services for the vulnerable poor in public health facilities by working in partnership with local government health authorities, regional health management teams and councils; (3) decreased maternal mortality in partner health facilities with a drop from 53 deaths between January and March 2021 to 12 deaths in July to September 2021; (4) reduced patient congestion by increasing staff in labour and delivery rooms in overcrowded health facilities; (5) trained 2,336 health workers (including 828 men and 1,508 women) in basic emergency obstetric and neonatal care, comprehensive obstetric care services, neonatal care and respectful maternal care; and (6) supplied personal protective equipment and essential supplies for basic emergency obstetric and neonatal care to protect health workers and enable service delivery.