Tanzania is one among the countries vowed to accomplish Millennium Development Goals by the end of 2015 where by one of the goals is to ensure availability of suitable health services and reduction of maternal mortality rate during child delivery, but the way forward still face challenges in rural areas.

Kisarawe District Hospital which has been receiving many expected mothers with referral from Maneromango Health Center.

Speaking to In2eastAfrica.net reporter Maneromango residents revealed that expectant mothers are put together with other people in the same ward, as Maneromango Health Center do not have labour ward for expectant mothers to give birth.

“Medical services for expectant mother is a problem to us because they are mixed together with children, men and of course ordinary sick patients, all under one roof, and the worst thing is that mattresses do not have bed sheets” said Amina Abdul, Maneromango dweller.

Absence of labour ward at Maneromango Health Center forces medical officers to issue referral to expectant mother to go Kisarawe town about 30 kilometers from Maneromango Health Center.

“It reaches a point we are forced to rush them to the district hospital but a problem occurs when the ambulance has left for Chole and Mzega, we strive ourselves to help delivery although it’s unsafe to the pregnant and the newborn,” claimed Assistant Medical Officer at Maneromango Health Center, Dr. Salum A. Launi

Acting Medical Officer of Kisarawe district Dr. Pascal Nkii exposed that it’s a big challenge providing medical assistance to the pregnant women in Kisarawe especially from rural areas since the district receives one third of requested share from Medical Store Department (MSD) and large share goes to the District hospital.

“What we do is just to ensure at least emergency kits are available for helping these women here.” said one of Maneromango medical officers who asked her name not to be mentioned.

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