Dar es Salaam — The government, in collaboration with international partners, has set an ambitious goal to reduce the neonatal mortality rate, from 24 to 12 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030.
This was announced over the weekend by Assistant Director for Child and Adolescent Health at the Ministry of Health, Dr Felix Bundala during the handover ceremony of a specially equipped ambulance designed for neonatal transport.
Dr Bundala said that the initiative, known as the Breath for Babies (BfB) study, addresses critical gaps in neonatal respiratory care across the country.
Respiratory distress syndrome, particularly among premature infants, remains one of the leading causes of neonatal deaths in Tanzania.
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"Shockingly, data indicates that 12 per cent of newborns in urban areas experience breathing difficulties at birth. This underscores the urgent need for specialised respiratory support services," Dr Bundala said.
To tackle this challenge, the Ministry of Health has partnered with local institutions such as Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) and the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), alongside global partners including NEST360 and mmama.
Medical Officer in Charge at Amana Regional Referral Hospital, Dr Bryson Kihwelu outlined the three main pillars of the intervention: Ensuring timely maternal referral and delivery, enhancing neonatal inpatient care and revolutionising neonatal transport through purpose-built ambulatory services.
"We are not just treating newborns, we are redesigning the entire care journey, starting from the moment of birth," he explained.
The BfB initiative is currently being implemented in Dar es Salaam's key regional referral hospitals -- Amana, Temeke and Mwananyamala, as well as in district hospitals in Kivule, Yombo Vituka and Mabwepande.
Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, this three-year project (2024-2027) is delivering life-saving equipment, specialised training and a robust data system to monitor progress and improve outcomes.
Co-Principal Investigator and a neonatologist at MNH, Dr Martha Mkony underscored the programme's long-term impact: "Our aim is not just to treat breathing difficulties in newborns. We're building a sustainable ecosystem of care that will save lives for generations."
With neonatal care bundles now being distributed and dedicated ambulances in service, Tanzania is not only improving survival rates but also paving the way for policy transformation in neonatal healthcare.
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Upon completion, the Breath for Babies programme aims to further reduce the neonatal mortality rate from 21 to just nine deaths per 1,000 live births, bringing the country closer to its national and global health targets.
This is a vision grounded in science, guided by compassion and driven by the belief that every baby deserves the chance to breathe, survive and thrive.
