In collaboration with the Canadian Associations of Midwives (CAM) and with funding from the Sanofi Espoir Foundation, TAMA is delivering a three-year project focused on strengthening the capacity of practicing midwives to deliver quality emergency obstetric care in six underserved district councils in Mtwara and Morogoro regions.

Through this project, over 300 midwives have been trained, 12 retired midwives have been deployed to rural health centres and dispensaries to provide needed expertise, and 24 community health workers have been recruited to engage and inform families of the value of prenatal care and of giving birth in a health facility where they are attended by a skilled health care provider.

CAM and TAMA jointly developed the Midwifery Emergency Skills Training (MEST) program, a well-received five-day workshop that incorporates the essentials of Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care and Respectful Maternity Care.

The project has shown achievements in all target districts including:

• Increased numbers of women delivering in health facilities
• Reduced numbers of hospital referrals
• Increased numbers of women attending antenatal care within the first 12 weeks
• Increased numbers of women attending at least two postnatal care visits