DODOMA: THE Tanzanian government has continued to improve services for premature babies as part of its efforts to enhance maternal and child health in health facilities across the country.
The statement was made today, January 28, 2026, in Parliament in Dodoma by the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Florence Samizi, while responding to a question from Special Seats MP Christina Solomon Mndeme, who asked about the government’s strategy to expand services for premature babies in health facilities in the Tabora region.
Dr Samizi said the government has successfully increased the number of health facilities providing services for premature babies from just 14 hospitals in 2018 to 362 hospitals nationwide by 2025.
In Tabora, these services have expanded from zero facilities in 2018 to 33 facilities by 2025. This development has significantly improved care for premature and sick newborns.
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The Deputy Minister noted that these achievements resulted from implementing various strategies, including distributing guidelines and adequate medical equipment, providing on-the-job training for health providers, and extending maternity leave for mothers giving birth to premature babies.
“The government will continue to improve these services by constructing modern wards for premature babies, purchasing and distributing sufficient medical equipment, and continuing on-the-job training for health providers to ensure that newborns receive safe and quality care across the country, including in the Tabora region,” said Dr Samizi.