By Deogratius Kamagi
THE government has commended stakeholders, who support More and Better Midwives for Rural Tanzania (MBM) project in improving health services, pledging to further continuing working with them.
The remarks were made in Mwanza recently by the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender Elderly and Children Director of Preventive Services, Dr Leonard Subi, in an event to wind up the activities of five years of the project.
The project was jointly implemented by the Non-Governmental Organisation Jhpiego in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Local Government Authorities (LGAs), where a total of 2,037 midwives students in Western and Lake Zone regions graduated from the training and 112 were fully sponsored.
Dr Subi who was representing the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Prof Abel Makubi pledged government's further commitment and determinations to sustain the gains that have been achieved during the execution of the project.
"The implementation of the project stands as clear evidence of the good relationship between Tanzania and other international communities... and that the government will continue to cherish the partnership with the government of Canada," he said.
On the students, the ministry official assured them that the government will continue to employ many as midwives, noting that so far, at least 1,440 health workers have been employed between 2015 and 2020.
"It is encouraging to see that the majority of all midwives who have been trained in the Colleges supported by the MBM project are competent enough in their profession, and so far, 10 per cent of them have been employed and the rest would be absorbed slowly," he noted.
On her part, the Jhpiego Country director Ms Alice Christensen said the project has addressed the gap for quality and skilled midwives' shortage in rural and hard to reach geographically places in the country.
Recognising the shortage and uneven distribution of the health workforce especially the midwives in health centres, she said the just concluded project will result in employing many competent new graduates where their services are greatly required.
"To ensure women and children in rural and hard to reach areas of Tanzania have access to skilled midwives, we will be saving more lives every single day by these skilled midwives," she noted.
During the event, three local Health Training Institutes (HTIs) were awarded certificates and trophies for grooming and training more competent nurse-midwives, who are capable of providing services by meeting standards set by the health ministry.
A list of the awarded institutions, included the Kolandoto College of Health Science, Heri School of Nursing and Kibondo School of Nursing located.
The three facilities are among the 20 Nursing Schools in the Lake and Western Regions, which have benefited from the project that was initiated and ran for five years from 2016 to 2020.
Earlier, the MBM Project Director Dr Julius Masanika said the project has seen a total of 1,713 nurse-midwives, tutors, and preceptors being trained.
"And some 112 nursing and midwifery students received scholarships, the plan was to sponsor 110 students but due to the demand, the number had to increase, and all have already graduated," he noted, adding that they also renovated school infrastructures to the needy colleges, in the lake and western zone regions.
For her part, the High Commissioner of Canada to Tanzania Ms Pamela O'Donnell reiterated the commitment of continuing to help the country to improve the health sector.
However, she asked the government to employ the 2,037 graduated nurse-midwives, who have been sponsored by the MBM project as they are competent enough in the profession.
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