NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Friday, June 3, 2016

The Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) initiative has approved funding for a health outpost in rural Tanzania as the first project in its new Community Cooperation Program (CCP).

The health outpost will be located in the Tanzanian town of Kasoli, which has about 16,000 inhabitants but whose current facility has just three beds for delivering babies, although there are more than 3,000 women of childbearing age in the town. With 52 births per month on average, neither the number of beds not the quality of care is adequate — with four newborn babies dying every month on average.

Two years ago the Kasoli community took the initiative to extend the maternity unit but now need help to finish the project. Thanks to the CmiA, funds will be allocated in an attempt to reduce the infant mortality rate, ensure safe drinking water is on hand and improve the supply of medicines.