Maternal health has been prioritised in the country’s national development plans.
Tanzania has made great progress in saving the lives of mothers. In just seven years, the country’s maternal mortality rate has been reduced by more than 80% — from 556 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2016 down to 104 in 2022.
This is not only a national achievement; it is a model for Africa, and a signal to the world that change is possible and long overdue.
At the 78th World Health Assembly, which concluded earlier this week, health officials and world leaders stated that “many countries are off track to meet key maternal and child health targets by 2030”. Specifically, to reduce maternal mortality worldwide to fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. That goal is still achievable. But only if we move from words to action.
When the Jiongeze Tuwavushe Salama campaign was launched in November 2018 (which contextually translates to “be accountable to ensure safe motherhood”), a national call for action to protect the lives of women and children was made. Government leaders, religious institutions, civil society, international partners and communities were mobilised to treat every maternal death as a collective failure. Today, lives are being saved not just with bricks and mortar, but with commitment and accountability.
Access to Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) has been expanded by increasing facilities from just 115 to over 566, ensuring that more than 90% of Tanzanians live within five kilometers of a health facility. The referral system has been significantly strengthened through technology-driven initiatives such as the m-mama emergency transportation programme and the Safer Births Bundle of Care (SBBC).
In recent years, more than 20,000 new health professionals have been employed and health facilities have been equipped with ambulances and digital innovations, including artificial intelligence-supported maternal death reviews and real-time telemedicine solutions. These innovations, from WhatsApp triage groups to Project ECHO’s virtual consultations, have already saved hundreds of women’s lives.
But the foundation of this success has not been technology alone, it has been political will. Maternal health has been prioritised in every national development plan. Work with international partners, including the World Health Organisation, the United Nations Population Fund, the World Bank, USAid and the Vodafone Foundation has secured more than $200 million in targeted maternal and newborn health investments. These efforts are not one-off projects – they are part of a systemic change.
Other African countries are taking note. Earlier this year, Tanzania hosted delegates from 16 nations under the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention to study the country’s approach. Through the Collaborative Advocacy Action Plan launched with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health, Tanzania is helping others localise and scale its model.
Yet more must be done, and fast. Across sub-Saharan Africa, maternal deaths remain common. Many women still give birth too far from help, without skilled care and without access to basic medicines or transport. These are solvable problems.
As we look toward 2030, I call on fellow leaders to prioritise women’s health not as a statistic to improve, but as a moral imperative. Adopt national campaigns that place maternal mortality at the heart of health reform. Invest in infrastructure, workforce and digital solutions that work for people, not just institutions. Share knowledge. Measure outcomes. And above all, treat every maternal death as an unacceptable loss.
Tanzania stands ready to support those ready to act. It can offer technical assistance and the insights gathered. Together, we can ensure that no woman dies while giving life in Africa and anywhere in the world.
Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan is the President of Tanzania.
