FAME is an in-patient hospital and clinic committed to advancing quality medical care in rural Tanzania. From the beginning, we set out to provide communities in the northern highlands of Tanzania with a unique healthcare experience - one marked by patient-centered care and high-quality service. In that spirit, FAME endeavors to meet the medical needs of ordinary Tanzanian people, and currently has a catchment area of 2.9 million Tanzanians living in the most rural parts of the country.
Tanzania has one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally. The maternal mortality rate (MMR) only continues to increase year after year. As The United Republic of Tanzania WHO Country Cooperation Strategy 2016-2020 reports, "the main causes of morbidity and mortality in Tanzania are communicable diseases and maternal, newborn and childhood illnesses," the latter due to labor complications, a lack of quality care, critical infrastructure, lifesaving supplies, and skilled health providers.
FAME's maternal health department provides women access to patient-centered care, quality medical equipment and skilled technicians, access to medication and lab tests, and safe delivery care. In 2020, we enrolled over 900 mothers and saw nearly 700 deliveries. In 2020, FAME established a High-Risk Maternity Program to provide specialized care for women considered at high-risk for severe complications. FAME's goal is to reduce morbidity and mortality for these women and their newborns.
At FAME, we continually strive to understand and address the needs and challenges of the communities we serve. With COVID-19 straining already fragile healthcare systems in low-resources countries, maternal health care at FAME is more critical than ever. This Giving Tuesday, all donations will support FAME's hospital operations including meeting the pressing needs for maternal health services for the thousands of rural Tanzanian women and their children who depend on FAME for their healthcare.
