As of May 2025, over 150,740 women and children in need of emergency maternal care in Tanzania have accessed rapid transport services through the community-based referral system, m-mama, saving the lives of approximately 6,279 pregnant women and newborns.
This achievement was highlighted by the Chief Government Medical Officer, Dr. Grace Magembe, on May 21, 2025, during a side event at the World Health Organization (WHO) General Assembly.
The session focused on how countries across Africa, Asia, and the Far East are adopting innovative strategies including infrastructure development, digital technologies, community health initiatives, and workforce training to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality.
Dr. Magembe detailed Tanzania's significant investments in strengthening health systems, particularly at the primary care level.
These investments include the construction of health facilities, procurement of essential equipment and medical supplies, and the expansion of health centers capable of providing emergency obstetric services such as cesarean sections.
"Despite improvements in infrastructure, we recognized that many pregnant women experiencing complications still needed urgent transport to facilities with specialized care. This realization marked the beginning of our journey with the m-mama initiative," said Dr. Magembe.
She emphasized that m-mama has become a model for innovative, community-driven emergency transport, offering a scalable solution that leverages local resources while integrating public, private, and community efforts.
The service has proven especially valuable in rural and hard-to-reach areas where traditional ambulance access is limited or unavailable.
Dr. Magembe affirmed Tanzania’s commitment to sharing its experience and collaborating with global partners to scale up affordable, sustainable, and technology-driven emergency transport systems.
"Tanzania stands ready to learn from and contribute to the global community, with the shared goal of making maternal and newborn deaths a thing of the past," she said.
"We are dedicated to achieving the global target of reducing maternal mortality to fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030."she added
