How to Build a Rapid Response Healthcare Network (Part II)
Africa can teach the world a thing or two about innovation.
Imagine you're feeling unwell and need to get to the hospital quickly. If you live in a place where there aren't enough ambulances or they take too long to arrive, what do you do? This is a situation faced by many people around the world, especially in developing countries like Tanzania. And fortunately, new technology combined with teamwork has stepped in. When you require immediate medical attention, all you need is a phone with 2G or 3G connectivity.
Rapid-response healthcare networks are a key area of innovation. Solutions like m-mama and the Tanzania Rural Health Movement (TRHM) are demonstrating promising results in nearly a decade of existence. As David James, a former director at Barclays Bank Kenya, noted, "The UK's ambulance system has a lower response time compared to TRHM’s street medicine crew." This evidence suggests that African-origin business models offer valuable insights for global healthcare delivery, despite my initial skepticism about their applicability to other regions. These networks solve an important problem: access to timely and effective care, especially in under-resourced settings.
I have requested current impact data for both featured initiatives, which will be integrated into a revised version of this STADI.
M-mama, on there hand, is a mobile-based emergency transportation system focused on pregnant women in Tanzania and several other sub-saharan Africa countries. Implemented by the Vodacom Tanzania Foundation, it connects mothers to nearby ambulances or community drivers, potentially saving lives. With a 38% reduction in maternal fatalities in Shinyanga alone, m-mama demonstrates the power of technology in bridging healthcare access gaps.
The success of m-mama is attributed to a strong public-private partnership (PPP) between the Vodacom Tanzania Foundation, the Vodafone Foundation, and the Tanzanian government. This collaboration underscores the importance of government support for scaling up healthcare innovations. As US Ambassador to Tanzania Michael Beatle stated, "This type of public-private partnership, which begins with the host government's dream, represents the best kind of development diplomacy.”
USAID Administrator Samantha Power added, "I cannot think of any program or project in the world that is as exciting and cost-effective as m-mama.”
M-mama's impact extends beyond Tanzania, where it first began in 2013. With aspirations to transport over 300,00 women, empower more than 1,400+ community dispatchers, and save over 9,000 lives by 2027" (Vodafone), the program has also been successfully implemented in Lesotho and Kenya. More countries may be underway.
While m-mama focuses on emergency transport, the TRHM is a non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to improving pre-hospital emergency care in Mwanza, Tanzania's second-largest city. Their community response project, powered by "Beacon Software," utilizes trained first responders (bodaboda drivers) to reach patients within an average of seven minutes. As TRHM reports, "Up to date, they have responded to about 3,300 incidents, and many lives have been saved.”
TRHM's work extends beyond immediate response. Its street medicine program provides medical services, basic needs, and support for safe and permanent residence to street children and elderly people. Additionally, they collaborate with the local government on mass drug administration for neglected tropical diseases, like Schistosomiasis which is prevalent in the Lake Zone. To ensure the long-term viability of its projects, TRHM established the Bisou Bailey Medical Dispensary. This primary healthcare facility generates income that supports its life-saving initiatives.
In short, m-mama and TRHM represent two successful models of rapid response healthcare networks in Tanzania. Their innovative approaches, combined with strong partnerships and government support, provide valuable lessons for improving healthcare delivery globally. As these programs continue to scale and adapt, they hold immense potential to save lives and improve health outcomes for people across Africa and beyond. I’m crossing my fingers for the second decade of m-mama and TRHM operations.