The Government has intensified strategic measures aimed at improving maternal and child health services across the country through expanded health infrastructure, strengthened emergency obstetric care and improved neonatal services in a bid to reduce maternal and infant deaths.
Deputy Minister for Health, Dr Florence Samizi, said the government remains committed to enhancing healthcare services for pregnant women and children through sustained investment in health facilities, emergency delivery care and newborn treatment services.
Dr Samizi made the remarks in Parliament in Dodoma on May 26, 2026, while responding to a question from Special Seats MP Esther Edwin Maleko on behalf of the Minister for Health, Jenista Mhagama, regarding government strategies to strengthen maternal and child healthcare services nationwide.
She said the government has continued investing in the construction and improvement of Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) centres, alongside the establishment of specialised neonatal and paediatric wards in health facilities.
According to Dr Samizi, the number of neonatal and paediatric wards has increased significantly to 438 from only 14 recorded in 2018, reflecting the government’s commitment to improving access to quality healthcare services for newborns and children.
She further noted that the government has started constructing 37 Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) in regions and councils with high birth rates to improve survival chances for newborn babies requiring specialised medical attention.
In efforts to improve the quality of care, the government has also continued building the capacity of healthcare workers, with a total of 18,929 health personnel trained in emergency surgical procedures, theatre management, anaesthesia and safe sedation services.
Dr Samizi added that the government has improved the availability of medical equipment and supplies for newborns, pregnant women and postnatal mothers to ensure quality healthcare services are accessible in health centres and hospitals across the country.
At the same time, she said the government is strengthening preventive healthcare services by ensuring vaccines and vaccination equipment are consistently available based on demand.
She also stressed that midwifery services continue to receive priority through the use of labour monitoring charts and improvements in maternity wards to support companion-based maternity care during childbirth.
