Declining donor funding threatens Tanzania’s maternal health supplies

Dar es Salaam. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) yesterday warned that Tanzania could face a severe shortage of maternal health supplies, including contraceptives, within the next two to three months if the decline in donor funding persists.

The agency called on the government to allocate funds to ensure sustainability, cautioning that without government intervention, securing reproductive health commodities for Tanzania would become increasingly difficult.

However, the government chief pharmacist, Dr Daud Msasi, told Mwananchi, The Citizen’s sister paper, that he had no such information but reassured the public that, even if the shortage occurred, the government would bridge the gap to ensure citizens continue to access healthcare services.

“It is common that when we sit at the table with donors, they say they will help with a certain amount of medicine, and the rest is purchased by the government,” he said.

Speaking at a symposium organised by sexual and reproductive health provider Marie Stopes Tanzania ahead of International Women’s Day, a representative from UNFPA, Ms Jarrie Kebba, said, “Currently, as we are all aware, it is a very difficult time globally, with donor funding declining. This situation is also affecting Tanzania, where we have already observed gaps in the availability of life-saving maternal health commodities.”

Ms Kebba warned that if the current trend continues, the country could face a national stock-out of all maternal health commodities, including contraceptives, within the next two to three months.

“As a strong partner in this area, we will continue working with the government to secure resources, not only from donors but also through government allocations. Without a dedicated budget for these commodities, ensuring a reliable supply of reproductive health products for Tanzania will be extremely challenging,” she added.

She further noted that a significant gap was identified in the quantification conducted in December to assess Tanzania’s reproductive healthcare commodity needs. The findings revealed a shortfall of over 25 million commodities, highlighting the urgent challenge the country is facing in securing these essential supplies.

According to her, the number of donors and partners supporting this sector is decreasing, contributing to the growing gap, and emphasised that UNFPA is actively working with the government to address this challenge.

Contributing to the meeting, Marie Stopes Tanzania’s Head of Research and Monitoring, Ms Ester Lubambi, said that to ensure they reach women at every stage of life, reproductive health services and information have introduced inclusive and friendly services for all mothers, including those approaching menopause.

Ms Lubambi said that as a woman approaches menopause, various challenges arise that can affect her work performance, whether in the office, at home, or in her relationships with family members.