Kilimanjaro — EFFORTS aimed at ending deaths of pregnant women, those who have delivered and child mortalities in Kilimanjaro region, recently got fresh impetus after maternal and newborn emergency transport system coordinated by m-mama organisation was launched in the area.
m-mama is a cost-effective emergency transport system aimed at significantly reducing maternal mortality in areas with limited or inefficient ambulance services.
Speaking during the launch in Moshi recently, the m-mama Country Director, Dolorosa Duncan said it was part of the countrywide service as advised by President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, earlier this year.
“When launching the programme in April, Dr Samia proposed that it is spread as a national agenda… may I take this opportunity to inform you that the programme will go live nationwide by September, 2023”, she said.
Commenting on the launch, Ms Duncan said the launch was meant to help in reducing maternal mortality in Kilimanjaro region, alongside other initiatives by the government within the region.
“The Government has been working with the Vodacom Tanzania Foundation to roll out m-mama, the maternal and newborn emergency transport system, which utilises government ambulances and private cars in the absence of ambulances in emergencies for pregnant women and newborns”, she said, adding, the system has been proved to contribute in the reduction of maternal mortality by 27 percent in rural areas nationwide.”
She added, “The reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality is a health priority outlined in Tanzanian Government’s plans… by launching this programme here in Kilimanjaro region, it is part of the valuable imitatives as far as the health sector in the country is concerned.
“Through m-mama, we use mobile technology to connect pregnant women with healthcare facilities, when they need it the most; the connection works to reduce rates of maternal mortality, identified as the number one health challenge by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals”, she added.
Speaking during the occasion, the Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner (RC) Mr Nurdin Babu, commended m-mama for introducing the services in the region, saying it would address the challenge of maternal and infants’ mortality within the region.
“The mortality rate reduction has been satisfactory in Kilimanjaro region; the number of deaths were 51 in 2020, 66 in 2021 and as we launch this programme today, this so far there have been reported 38 maternal mortalities in the region; this program will be very fruitful as far as efforts to the maternal mortality in Kilimanjaro region is concerned”, he added.
Mr Babu further said the launch was vital in the region due to the real fact that there were only 30 ambulances in the region, where 13 of them are owned and run by government health facilities and the remaining 17 by private health institutions.
Source: allafrica.com
Share this news
This Year’s Most Read News Stories
Britam half-year net profit hits Sh2bn on higher investment income
Insurer and financial services provider Britam posted a 22.5 percent jump in net earnings for the half-year ended June 2024, to Sh2 billion, buoyed by increased investment income.
The rise in half-year net profit from Sh1.64 billion posted in a similar period last year came on the back of net investment income rising 2.5 times to Sh13.27 billion from Sh5.3 billion.
“We are confident in the growth and performance trend that Britam has achieved, supported by its subsidiaries in Kenya and the region. Our business is expanding its revenue base while effectively managing costs,” Britam Chief Executive Officer Tom Gitogo said.
“Our customer-centric approach is fueling growth in our customer base and product uptake, particularly through micro-insurance, partnerships, and digital channels.”
The investment income growth was fueled by interest and dividend income rising 34 percent to Sh9.1 billion, which the insurer attributed to growth in revenue and the gains from the realignment of the group’s investment portfolio.
Britam also booked a Sh3.79 billion gain on financial assets at a fair value, compared with a Sh1.8 billion loss posted in a similar period last year.
The increased investment income helped offset the 12.7 percent decline in net insurance service result to Sh2.13 billion in the wake of claims paid out rising at a faster pace than that of premiums received.
Britam said insurance revenue, which is money from written premiums, increased to Sh17.8 billion from Sh16.6 billion, primarily driven by growth in the Kenya insurance business and regional general insurance businesses, which contributed 30 percent of the revenue.
The group has a presence in seven countries in Africa namely Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan, Mozambique, and Malawi.
Britam’s insurance service expense hit Sh13.6 billion from Sh11.3 billion, while net insurance finance expenses rose 2.6 times to Sh12.3 billion during the same period.
“Net insurance finance expenses increased mainly due to growth in interest cost for the deposit administration business driven by better investment performance. This has also been impacted by a decline in the yield curve, which has led to an increase in the insurance contract liabilities. The increase has been offset by a matching increase in fair value gain on assets,” said Britam.
Britam’s growth in profit is in line with that of other Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed insurers, which have seen a rise in profits.
Jubilee Holdings net profit in the six months increased by 22.7 percent to Sh2.5 billion on increased income from insurance, helping the insurer maintain Sh2 per share interim dividend.
CIC Insurance Group posted a 0.64 percent rise in net profit to Sh709.99 million in the same period as net earnings of Liberty Kenya nearly tripled to Sh632 million from Sh213 million, while Sanlam Kenya emerged from a loss to post a Sh282.2 million net profit.
‘Sovereignty alone won’t solve Zanzibar economic woes’
The ruling party in Zanzibar on Monday , March 13, responded to growing demands for full autonomy in the Islands, saying sovereignty doesn’t guarantee economic strength.Continue Reading
Zanzibar liquor importers face fresh hurdle despite court order
The liquor shortage in Zanzibar is far from over, even after a court order granted relief to the three importers.Continue Reading
