D-tree to carry out digital health system in Zanzibar
Zanzibar. Leading digital health organisation D-tree International has been awarded more than $6 million from Fondation Botnar and the Human Development Innovation Fund to roll out a national digital community health system in Zanzibar.
The organisation says it will work together with the Zanzibar Ministry of Health and other partners to improve maternal, newborn and child health services. Through the project, community health workers will be empowered with digital technology to manage care for families, pregnant women and children, building on the Ministry of Health and D-tree International’s award-winning Safer Deliveries programme.
“Since 2011, we have demonstrated that empowering community health workers with digital tools in Zanzibar improves the quality of service delivery, connects health workers to the broader health system, and Safer Deliveries programme expansion to children under-five in Zanzibar,” said D-tree International Tanzania CEO Erica Layer.
“The support has helped in strengthening decision-making processes to optimise resources and improve planning. We are now thrilled to work closely with the Ministry of Health and partners to scale up this system nation-wide.”
Digital health, the use of technology to address healthcare challenges, is broadly recognised for its effectiveness in transforming health systems through better health promotion, disease prevention and healthcare quality.
By introducing a digital programme, the Zanzibar Ministry of Health puts itself at the forefront of this global move to leverage digital technology to improve the quality of health services.
“The Ministry of Health is pleased to continue our long-term partnership with D-tree International to scale up this innovative digital community health program which has already shown the potential to improve the lives of women and children in Zanzibar, support affordable collection of data and strengthen referrals systems to reduce delays causing maternal and child deaths,” said Dr Fadhil Abdalla, director of prevention services in Zanzibar’s Ministry of Health.
