watotoCare Reaches a Milestone — Mothers’ Voices Show Why It Matters

In just 18 months, over 4,300 newborns have been enrolled in watotoCare at Sengerema Hospital in northern Tanzania — a huge step toward reducing preventable newborn deaths. Touch’s watotoCare program aims to close the newborn care gap in Tanzania where, every year, 48,000 Tanzanian newborns die in their first month of life, often from treatable illnesses. watotoCare ensures babies are assessed at birth, enrolled in care, and supported with four pediatric check-ups within 42 days. For higher-risk infants, transportation and telehealth make follow-up possible.

Statistics matter, but the voices of mothers bring the impact of watotoCare to life.

• “When the rain was too heavy to travel, watotoCare arranged transport. Without it, my baby would have missed her check-up.” — Monica
• “The regular visits gave me peace of mind. I knew someone was watching over my baby’s health.” — Judith
• “Even when I couldn’t go to the hospital, I could call and get advice. That made all the difference.” — Naomi

We have seen in watotoCare’s first two years of operations, hospital readmission rates for newborns have been reduced by 80%. Our ongoing research with the Harvard School of Public Health and Muhimbili University continues to study the impact of watotoCare on newborn health, in preparation for expanding the program in 2026.

Simple, cost-effective solutions can mean all the difference for a newborn baby’s trajectory. We don’t accept that, for lack of accessible post-natal care, a baby’s life can be put at risk. With watotoCare, we are building the Tanzanian government’s ability to address health system barriers through innovation.  Sign up for Touch’s newsletter to receive updates as watotoCare expands.

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