The maternal health project is a joint effort between the Tanzanian government, Vital Strategies as implementers, and Bloomberg Philanthropies, which has funded this effort for the past seven years. New donors include the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), H B Agerup Foundation and Merck & Co.
The model being implemented in Tanzania takes a comprehensive approach – it has contributed bricks and mortar to build and renovate facilities to enable adequate infrastructure at rural health centers; it continues to train non-doctor health workers to learn how to do surgeries and carry out complicated deliveries; and works closely with the government to see to it that there are adequate and appropriate tools for patient care. The result is that life-saving skills are available at local health centers in rural regions.