MORE than 500 midwives are set to benefit training sponsorship by 2028, in a strategic move to enhance healthcare services and ensuring safe childbirth across the country.

Deusdedit Mashalla, NBC’s Morogoro branch manager made the pledge here when speaking over the weekend  during the fifth graduation ceremony of the Diploma in Nursing, Midwifery, and Laboratory Technology at the Morogoro College of Health and Allied Sciences (MCOHAS).

Collaborating with the Benjamin Mkapa Foundation (BMF), the bank sponsored the training of 50 in-service midwives out of the 151 graduates. 

Alongside the initiative, the bank has also emphasized the importance of financial literacy among public employees, recognizing the direct correlation between financial well-being and the quality of service provided.

According to Mashalla, the programme facilitated through the annual NBC Dodoma Marathon, aims to address the shortage of midwives in remote areas of the country. 

"The goal is to ensure that by 2028, a total of 500 beneficiaries of this program will be reached to save the lives of mothers and children in regions currently facing a significant shortage of the professionals," he stated.

In addition to funding the midwives' education, the NBC Dodoma Marathon has also taken on the responsibility of fighting cervical cancer in women through public education and screenings. "Over 40,900 women have been screened through the initiative, with 1,600 of them being diagnosed with the dangerous cancer and receiving early treatment," Mashalla proudly announced.

Recognizing the importance of financial well-being, Mashalla emphasized the bank's commitment to providing financial education to the graduates and various public employees. 

"There is a strong correlation between the financial situation of employees, including those in the healthcare sector, and the quality of services they provide to the public," he said, echoing the advice given to the graduates by Dr. Daniel Nkungu, the Chief Medical Officer of Morogoro Regional Referral Hospital.

"In addition to emphasizing the importance of understanding the main purpose of your service in this profession, I also strongly urge you to prioritize proper use of your finances. There is a strong correlation between the financial situation of employees, including those in the healthcare sector, and the quality of services they provide to the public. An employee who enters their duties burdened with financial stress from debts and a poor economic situation can transfer that anger to the people they serve or even their colleagues...I implore you not to fall into that trap," cautioned Dr. Nkungu

 The bank’s multifaceted approach, combining the funding of midwife education and promoting financial literacy, demonstrates its dedication to empowering healthcare heroes and improving the overall well-being of the communities it serves. This initiative not only addresses the critical shortage of midwives but also ensures that those providing vital healthcare services are equipped with the financial knowledge to maintain their own financial stability, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes.

Evarist Urassa, MCOHAS principal called on the graduates and other healthcare workers to update their professional status regularly in order to keep up with the significant professional changes driven by ongoing technological advancements.

"Today, you are graduating with a diploma level and will be serving the community, but know that your academic journey is not over. My advice to you and others already in service is to keep updating yourselves because this profession receives new technology every day, and even medical techniques change due to various factors, including the emergence of new pathogens and diseases," he said.

He also appealed to various stakeholders to collaborate with the government in improving the infrastructure of the college, which was established in 1975 and is now facing dilapidation of buildings and a shortage of learning infrastructures.

Mariam Ndabagenga, BMF relations manager applauded  the bank for sponsoring the midwifery program. She urged the graduates, especially the beneficiaries of the program, to demonstrate superior performance when they return to their duties.

"If you do not show the difference we expected when you return to your duties, you will disappoint us, the organizers, and our sponsors of this program. Your success will serve as a catalyst to convince more stakeholders to fund other professionals in different areas, including the whole issue of nutrition, which we see as a new program," she stated.