THE Tanzanian government in collaboration with the Danish Embassy, has officially launched a special program that will be used by midwives to learn how to provide better services and increase professionalism through the service called Safe Delivery App.
The program has been launched through the “10 million safe birth initiative” project that will be implemented in the Dodoma and Dar es Salaam regions for from 2025 to 2027.
Speaking during the launch, the Director of Nursing and Midwifery Services at the Ministry of Health, Ziada Sellah, said the project has come at the right time because the midwife can learn anywhere, at work, at home even if there is no internet connection, and she opens the app.
“If she/her encounters a challenge, she/he can see what to do through that, and like the application launched today, we have WhatsApp groups, and it is possible that a midwife in Rufiji encounters a challenge and explains it in those groups so that they can get help.
Adding, she said: “In those groups, there are midwives, doctors, and she said her challenge can be directed when she is serving and they are successful.”
She noted that in order to reach more midwives, they have coordinators for maternal and child health services in the council, and through those coordinators, along with the chief midwives of the regions and the municipal councils, they will go to build capacity there.
“And because you only need to have a smartphone with you, it will direct you to what you need.
For her part, Dr. Beatrice Mwilike, the President of the Tanzania Midwives Association (TAMA) said that through the project, they have a major role in providing training to midwives to use the app and connect them in training and increase their professionalism.
“By collaborating with UNFPA and the Maternity Foundation, we have the opportunity to ensure that all midwives are reached so that they can learn what they are required to do when providing services to mothers and children or when providing maternity education.
Director of the Training Center for International Health (TTCIH) Edward Amani said that in the 10 million safe birth initiative project, they coordinate all activities planned to be carried out on time and receive funds on time.
“We will have a responsibility to know what is being done, what is still being done, and when it is being done, and this project has invested in midwives providing safe services to keep the mother and child alive
Project Coordinator from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),
Sunday Rwabagira has explained that they intend to increase the availability of more professional midwives and are carrying out this project in eight countries south of the Sahara desert with funding from the Danish government.
“In this project, we aim for safe childbirth for 10 million children by 2030. Midwives will use modern methods that will provide them with accurate information.
Danish Ambassador to Tanzania Jesper Kammersgaard said his government has provided 11bn/- to achieve the project through the Maternity Foundation in partnership with the UNFP and the Ministry of Health.
“The project will run from 2025 to 2027 and will help reduce maternal mortality further in line with the Millennium Goals,” he stressed.
