This October, Dar es Salaam will host the 12th Annual Tanzania Health Summit, bringing together over 2,000 health leaders from over 20 countries. What began as a national platform is now shaping regional policy, drawing global institutions like the WHO, the Africa CDC, and AfDB. The conversations will centre on one theme: how data and technology can transform health systems across Africa.
For Tanzania, the timing is perfect. The country has been quietly proving that digital innovation is not just a theory but a life-saving reality. Now, its story—of mothers surviving childbirth and newborns given a fighting chance—is capturing continental attention.
One striking example comes from maternal care. By digitising every prenatal visit, Tanzania built a powerful dataset now fueling AI models that predict hypertensive disorders with remarkable accuracy. For women in remote clinics, this means nurses with tablets can catch warning signs long before a crisis unfolds.
As Dr Omary Chillo, Summit President, explains, “Data is the foundation, and technology is the tool.” His words reflect a shift from reactive care to prevention, where danger is spotted early, and lives are spared. For many health workers, this is the difference between helplessness and hope.
The impact is not abstract. “We’re not just counting the dead—we’re saving the living,” says Dr Sunday Dominic of the Ministry of Health. It’s a powerful reminder that behind every data point is a woman, a family, a future that now survives because systems are working.
But technology alone is never enough. Reliable connectivity, policies that enable innovation, and staff who trust and understand the tools are all essential. At the Summit, debates will go beyond breakthroughs, asking how to make them sustainable, ethical, and equitable.
A similar story of transformation is unfolding in Morogoro. SolidarMed’s “A Good Start” project has turned neonatal units into lifelines, cutting newborn deaths with targeted investments in equipment, training, and care. Where survival once hovered in the low 80s, it now soars into the upper 90s.
For parents, the change feels deeply personal. At Mahenge Hospital, nurse Leticia Mwaulambo recalls the heartbreak of lacking basic equipment. Today, with ventilators and training, she and her team stabilise fragile infants who would otherwise be lost.
One mother, Mariam Ongala, named her premature daughter Zawadi—“gift.” Each gram of weight gain is celebrated, a daily triumph over the odds. These are the moments that breathe life into statistics, turning policy into human stories of survival.
Yet sustaining these wins remains the real challenge. Experts at the Summit will urge governments to embed neonatal upgrades into national budgets and train more hospitals to replicate the success. Without long-term commitment, today’s miracles risk becoming tomorrow’s gaps.
Already, community health workers are carrying lessons into villages, ensuring follow-up visits and education reach mothers at home. It shows that real change happens not just in hospitals but in households, where trust and care make the difference.
Tanzania’s example is setting a benchmark. By matching digital tools with frontline dedication, it proves that progress is possible—even in places where resources are scarce. And in doing so, it is offering a blueprint for neighbours across East and Central Africa.
But none of this can be done alone. The presence of global institutions at the Summit reflects a growing recognition that saving mothers and babies demands partnerships that cross borders and sectors. It is a shared responsibility, and Tanzania is leading by showing what’s possible.
As Dr Chillo reminds us, this is not about theory—it is about action. For every mother who makes it through childbirth and every newborn who takes a first breath, Tanzania’s message is clear: the future can be rewritten, and it starts with the courage to lead.
Valentina Simon is the Corporate Relations and Marketing Officer at the Tanzania Health Summit (THS). She’s available at valentina.crm@ths.or.tz. These are the writer’s own opinions, and they do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of The Chanzo. Do you want to publish in this space? Contact our editors at editor@thechanzo.com for further inquiries.
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