Vodacom Tanzania Foundation and Vodafone Foundation have deployed the mobile ‘m-mama’ service to provide emergency transport for pregnant and postpartum women
Starting from 2022, the expanded m-mama programme in Tanzania is expected to transport more than 300,000 women, empower more than 1,400 community transport drivers and could save more than 9,000 lives.
The new programme has been developed by Vodacom Tanzania Foundation, Vodafone Foundation and the government of The United Republic of Tanzania.
With full government endorsement, both Foundations have committed to invest US$10mn over six years to roll out the programme, guided by a steering committee from Tanzania’s Ministry of Health and public health delivery agency PO-RALG. Over the next six years the Government will increase its funding and the programme will be fully integrated into the healthcare system by 2027.
Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub said, “We believe that technology coupled with country’s enabling environment and political will - has the potential to support African nations realize transformation in healthcare, agriculture, education, financial services and other priority sectors.”
Vodacom Tanzania’s managing director Sitholizwe Mdlalose confirmed, “Too many pregnant women, women in childbirth and new-borns die each year form largely preventable causes. For nine years, we have been working with the government to develop a practical, sustainable and scalable solution to reduce maternal and new-born deaths in the country. We have built a system that strengthens health care delivery and connects the community and lower-level health facilities to responsive emergency transport.”
