Maternal and Child Health

Maternal, newborn, and child health remain among Tanzania's most urgent health priorities. Thousands of mothers and babies continue to lose their lives each year to causes that can be prevented with timely, quality care. Preterm birth remains the leading cause of death among children under five, with more than 336,000 babies born too soon each year and 70% dying within 48 hours without proper care. Against this challenge, DMF has built a national record of measurable impact by strengthening the systems that protect mothers, newborns, and children.

Okoa Kichanga is DMF's model for saving newborn lives through the right equipment, skilled care, strong facilities, and data driven action.

Through the Okoa Kichanga Model, DMF works with health facilities to assess needs, provide life saving neonatal equipment, train healthcare workers, strengthen clinical practice, and use data to improve outcomes. The Foundation has delivered $650,000 in medical equipment and supplies to 85 hospitals in 22 regions, trained more than 2,000 healthcare workers in neonatal care and opened Tanzania's first standard neonatal care unit at Kwimba District Hospital in Mwanza, a $1.15 million facility with two fully furnished staff houses, serving a catchment of about 18,073 births each year.