International Development Grant
Community-Based Maternal Newborn and Child Health Services
Project Number: CA-3-A035254001
Status: Closed
Country/Region:
Maximum Contribution: $11,999,998.00
Start Date: September 30, 2011
End Date: March 31, 2015
Duration: 3.5 years
Project Description
This project aims to reduce the number of deaths among mothers newborns and young children by improving the health services available in four rural districts in Rukwa and Mwanza Regions. It supports Tanzania in achieving national targets for reducing child mortality and improving maternal health (Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5). The project is designed to provide women with greater access to good-quality reliable health services. It helps to ensure that district health facilities offer essential health services for women and children; it provides training for health care workers in emergency care for pregnant women new mothers and newborn babies; and it strengthens the management and supervision practices in health care facilities. The project is also designed to improve the ability of men and women in these communities to recognize prevent and respond to maternal and child health issues. The project includes: organizing community events and mass media campaigns training community theatre groups and selecting peer youth educators and male champions to raise awareness about potential health issues; conducting home visits to provide pre-natal and post-natal care and care for newborns and young children; and equipping community health workers to provide services in remote areas and to refer patients to health centres where necessary. The project places special emphasis on the role that men can play in helping to improve the health of women and children. This project is expected to benefit 309 000 women of childbearing age and over 306 000 children under five. Plan International Canada and Plan International’s office in Tanzania are working in partnership with Jhpiego and Africare to support the efforts of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to strengthen Tanzania’s health systems and to implement its National Road Map Strategic Plan to Accelerate Reduction of Maternal Newborn and Child Deaths in Tanzania. This project is part of Canada’s
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved as of the end of the project include: (1) the percentage of live births at health facilities has increased to 80% up from 55% in 2012; (2) four operating theatres were constructed and equipped at four health centres to provide comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn health care services in remote areas; (3) 5 123 community health workers conducted 980 000 home visits to promote better maternal newborn and child health practices; (4) 65% of pregnant women are receiving antenatal care at least four times during pregnancy up from 39% in 2012; and(5) exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months increased to 49% up from 17% in 2012. Results achieved as of March 2014 include: (1) the percentage of women delivering at health facilities increased from 50% in September 2013 to 72% by March 2014; (2) the percentage of women who received post-natal care within two days of childbirth has increased from an average of 33% in 2011 to 78%; (3) 273 health care workers and 110 medical attendants were trained on basic emergency obstetric and newborn care; (4) 5 160 community health workers (2 357 women) were trained on maternal newborn and child health guidelines and birth registration and equipped with bicycles and other essential materials to do their jobs; and (5) 556 562 home visits were conducted by March 2014 for post-natal and newborn care. These results have contributed to improving the quality of maternal newborn and child health services in underserved communities in five districts of Tanzania particularly for women of childbearing age.
Key Information
Executing Agency:
Plan International Canada
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
WGM Africa
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Project-type interventions
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Pre-APP