Aga Khan Hospital, Jubilee Health Insurance jointly combat maternal mortality

Dar es Salaam. The Aga Khan Hospital, in collaboration with Jubilee Health Insurance, has launched a programme called ‘Safe Journey for Pregnant Mothers (Safari Salama ya Mama Mjamzito), which, among other things, will provide training for pregnant women.

Jubilee Health Insurance’s Wellness Promotion Officer, Dr Milembe Makoye, said they decided to introduce the programme to ensure that pregnant women are cared for before, during, and after pregnancy.

“Our initiative aims to reduce the maternal mortality rate (MMR) by empowering pregnant mothers to ensure a safe pregnancy journey,” she said.

He noted that they provide care from the moment a mother prepares to conceive, throughout her pregnancy, and after childbirth.

“In this programme, we will provide appropriate training throughout the journey to motherhood, thus helping to reduce MMR,” she said.

Dr Makoye explained that the idea for this programme came from a WhatsApp group they started three years ago called ‘Jubilee Mums Club,’ where mothers who joined could ask questions and receive answers from various experts.

“In that group, we have different experts, including obstetricians, paediatricians, dieticians, and social welfare officers, giving mothers a broad platform to have their questions answered,” she said.

She also mentioned that they now intend to reach out to mothers who are not online and physically visit them at their clinics to provide awareness on the aforementioned topics.

Aga Khan Hospital Senior Marketing and Communications Manager, Olayce Lotha, said they are pleased with the idea and believe that pregnant women need to be protected throughout their journey from the beginning.

Lotha noted that to support safe childbirth, they have also come up with various packages for mothers, including allowing them to save money in small amounts until the time of delivery.

“Normal delivery here costs Sh2 million, so a pregnant mother is allowed to save little by little until the time of delivery. For caesarean delivery, it is Sh4 million, but this is not fixed as unexpected issues can arise during the operation, requiring the mother to provide additional funds,” he said.

Jubilee Health Insurance’s Chief Operating Officer, Saleh Shaban, said the programme extends beyond childbirth to include caring for the children from birth to five years.

“We believe that by doing this, we will help mothers get accurate information, as there are many online sources that can sometimes be misleading due to a lack of proper education on pregnancy and childcare,” said Shaban.

Additionally, he urged pregnant women to enrol in health insurance, as it ensures they receive medical services even when they have nothing at the time of delivery.

A resident of Kigamboni, Anneth Lyatuu, encouraged other mothers to seize training opportunities.

“For me, this is my third child, but it has not stopped me from attending this training because new things are always emerging in pregnancy and child care,” she said.