Ifakara Health Research and Development Center
Year(s) : 2010, 2009, 2008
Grant Recipient Type : NGO / Nonprofit
Grantor : World Lung Foundation
Project goal : To improve access to maternal and neonatal health care in the rural regions of Tanzania, where infant and maternal mortality rates rank among the world's highest. Nearly half of all child deaths in Tanzania occur during the first week of life, and most of these newborns never have contact with health care services.
Direct Grant : Yes
TANZANIA The grant helped renovate three
maternity wards and trained midwives and
non-physician health workers.
Key achievement to date: As a result of this project, 1,500 fewer infants will die in the days immediately following birth, and 350 fewer women will die in childbirth each year, according to IFAKARA estimates.
Objective 1: To conduct capital
improvements to improve capacity for emergency
surgical services.
Major accomplishments to date:
- Completed construction of four staff houses at Maweni region hospital, four at Kasulu district hospital, two in Nguruka, three in Kibondo, and one each in Kibondo and Kakonko.
- Construction/renovation of
operating theaters complete in all areas,
including installation of electricity and water
systems.
Objective 2: To increase capacity
by training midwives and non-physician health
workers, called Assistant Medical Officers
(AMOs), in surgical and emergency
medicine.
Major accomplishments to
date:
- The training for AMOs and Assistant Anaesthetic Nurses in emergency obstetric care has been ongoing for three months at Maweni Hospital in Kigoma.