{"id":149018,"date":"2026-02-23T19:23:28","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T19:23:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/tanzania\/all-news\/president-samia-named-au-champion-for-maternal-health"},"modified":"2026-02-23T20:22:33","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T20:22:33","slug":"president-samia-named-au-champion-for-maternal-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/tanzania\/all-news\/president-samia-named-au-champion-for-maternal-health","title":{"rendered":"President Samia Named AU Champion for Maternal Health"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

What You Need to Know<\/h4>\n

Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been appointed as the African Union Champion for Maternal and Child Health. This prestigious role recognizes her commitment to improving health outcomes for women and children across Africa. Experts highlight the need for strengthened health systems and investment in healthcare personnel to address urgent maternal and child health challenges on the Cont<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Africa-Press – Tanzania. <\/strong> <\/span>TANZANIA and Africa have every reason to celebrate following the appointment of President Samia Suluhu Hassan as the African Union Champion for Maternal and Child Health.<\/p>\n

The prestigious responsibility, announced last week, is seen as recognition of her exemplary leadership and unwavering commitment to advancing the well-being of women and children across the continent.<\/p>\n

Speaking to the \u2018Daily News\u2019 from Australia, Dr Joseph Masika OAM, a Public Health Specialist and Tanzanian diaspora leader, described the appointment as \u2018a proud moment for Tanzania and Africa.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not only an honour for Tanzania, but also a significant milestone for Africa\u2019s collective journey toward stronger health systems, healthier families and sustainable development,\u201d Dr Masika said.<\/p>\n

He noted that maternal and child health remains one of Africa\u2019s most urgent priorities.<\/p>\n

Despite progress in recent decades, the continent still carries a disproportionate burden of preventable maternal deaths and under-five mortality.<\/p>\n

Many women continue to face life-threatening risks during pregnancy and childbirth, while children die from avoidable causes such as malnutrition, infectious diseases and limited access to quality healthcare.<\/p>\n

Dr Masika said President Samia\u2019s appointment comes at a critical time, offering renewed momentum for the African Union and its Member States to accelerate efforts that protect mothers, safeguard children and strengthen health outcomes for future generations.<\/p>\n

He outlined several key considerations that could guide the mission. Strengthening health systems must remain central, he said, noting that maternal and child health outcomes are a direct reflection of the quality, accessibility and resilience of healthcare services.<\/p>\n

Skilled birth attendance, emergency obstetric care, antenatal and postnatal services, immunisation programmes and newborn care must reach every woman and child, including those in rural and underserved communities.<\/p>\n

Dr Masika emphasised the need for investment in training, retention and equitable distribution of midwives, nurses, doctors and community health workers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout sufficient and supported health personnel, progress will remain limited,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He further stressed that sustainable financing and political accountability are essential.<\/p>\n

\u201cImproving maternal and child health requires more than good intentions; it requires domestic investment. Governments must prioritise health in national budgets, strengthen supply chains for essential medicines, and ensure that resources are used efficiently and transparently,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

According to Dr Masika, maternal and child health cannot be separated from broader social determinants such as nutrition, clean water, sanitation, education, gender equality and poverty reduction.<\/p>\n

\u201cA mother cannot thrive where hunger persists. A child cannot survive where basic services are absent,\u201d he said, calling for coordinated action across sectors.<\/p>\n

Partnerships will also be key. He said governments, the African Union, civil society organisations, faith leaders, women\u2019s groups and international partners such as WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA all have crucial roles to play.<\/p>\n

Community engagement, he added, must be prioritised to ensure policies are effective and culturally relevant. Importantly, Dr Masika highlighted the role of the African diaspora.<\/p>\n

\u201cMillions of Africans living abroad represent a valuable resource of expertise, networks and goodwill. Diaspora health professionals can contribute through training, mentoring, research collaboration, telemedicine, and investment in community-based maternal and child health initiatives,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He added that diaspora organisations can advocate globally for Africa\u2019s health priorities, mobilise resources and support innovative programmes aligned with national and continental goals.<\/p>\n

Dr Masika reiterated that President Samia\u2019s appointment symbolises hope and renewed determination.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfrica is home to the world\u2019s youngest population, and the wellbeing of mothers and children will define the continent\u2019s long-term development and prosperity,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He praised President Samia\u2019s leadership, saying she has already demonstrated that transformative leadership is possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs AU Champion for Maternal and Child Health, she now carries a platform to inspire unity, champion innovation and accelerate progress toward an Africa where no woman dies giving life and every child has the opportunity to survive and thrive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Dr Masika extended his congratulations to President Samia, describing the appointment as well-deserved.<\/p>\n

\u201cMay her leadership in this role leave a lasting legacy for Tanzania, Africa and generations to come,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

President Samia\u2019s appointment was formally announced in a statement issued by the Director of Presidential Communication at State House, Bakari Machumu.<\/p>\n

The statement explained that her endorsement was made during the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, held in Addis Ababa on Saturday.<\/p>\n

The decision followed recommendations contained in the 2025 report of the Committee of Heads of State and Government overseeing the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)<\/p>\n

Maternal and child health has been a critical issue in Africa, where preventable deaths remain alarmingly high. Despite advancements in healthcare, many women and children continue to face significant risks due to inadequate access to quality services. The African Union has prioritized this area, recognizing the need for collective action to improve health outcomes across the continent. President Samia’s appointment as AU Champion is seen as a pivotal moment to galvanize efforts and resources towards achieving sustainable health improvements for mothers and children.<\/p>\n

Find more news and analyses on Tanzania<\/span> on the Africa Press<\/span> website<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What You Need to Know Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been appointed as the African Union Champion for Maternal and Child Health. This prestigious role recognizes her commitment to improving health outcomes for women and children across Africa. Experts highlight the need for strengthened health systems and investment in healthcare personnel to address urgent […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":149017,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,12],"tags":[5696,15223,15269,8322,8572,711],"class_list":["post-149018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-policy","tag-african-union","tag-child-health","tag-maternal-health","tag-president-samia","tag-public-health","tag-tanzania"],"yoast_head":"\nPresident Samia Named AU Champion for Maternal Health - Tanzania<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"President Samia Suluhu Hassan is named AU Champion for Maternal and Child Health, marking a significant milestone for Africa.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/tanzania\/all-news\/president-samia-named-au-champion-for-maternal-health\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"President Samia Named AU Champion for Maternal Health\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"President Samia Suluhu Hassan is named AU Champion for Maternal and Child Health, marking a significant milestone for Africa.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/tanzania\/all-news\/president-samia-named-au-champion-for-maternal-health\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Tanzania\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-23T19:23:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-23T20:22:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/tanzania\/sites\/17\/2026\/02\/sm_1771877869.075914.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"351\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/tanzania\/all-news\/president-samia-named-au-champion-for-maternal-health#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/tanzania\/all-news\/president-samia-named-au-champion-for-maternal-health\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/tanzania\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"President Samia Named AU Champion for Maternal Health\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-23T19:23:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-23T20:22:33+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/tanzania\/all-news\/president-samia-named-au-champion-for-maternal-health\"},\"wordCount\":916,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/tanzania\/all-news\/president-samia-named-au-champion-for-maternal-health#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/tanzania\/sites\/17\/2026\/02\/sm_1771877869.075914.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"African Union\",\"child health\",\"Maternal Health\",\"President Samia\",\"public health\",\"tanzania\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"policy\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/tanzania\/all-news\/president-samia-named-au-champion-for-maternal-health#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/tanzania\/all-news\/president-samia-named-au-champion-for-maternal-health\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/tanzania\/all-news\/president-samia-named-au-champion-for-maternal-health\",\"name\":\"President Samia Named AU Champion for Maternal Health - 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