JAPAN has signed a twelve months partnership agreement with the United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) for supporting life-saving interventions to prevent maternal and child deaths at the Nyarugusu and Nduta refugee camps and host communities in Kigoma Region.

Japan financial assistance underscores its enduring commitment to addressing humanitarian crises through a human security lens. These funds are channelled through various institutions including UNFPA,” he further stated.

Ambassador Yasushi Misawa said at the signing ceremony in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the project is meant to sustain the gains made in maternal health and sexual reproductive health (SRH) interventions in the two camps.

Japan will allocate $359,964 (921m/-) to supply reproductive health products in the camps and host communities during the course of this year, he said, noting that the funds will be used to procure essential medical equipment, plus training frontline health workers to ensure the delivery of quality SRH services.

Upwards of 113,000 individuals, encompassing women, adolescent girls and boys, first time young mothers and others will particularly benefit from the new partnership, he said, underlining that Japan is committed to improving the health of people around the world by achieving universal health coverage.

“Japan financial assistance underscores its enduring commitment to addressing humanitarian crises through a human security lens. These funds are channelled through various institutions including UNFPA,” he further stated.

Mark Schreiner, the UNFPA country representative, pointed out that the project involves the provision of dignity kits like menstrual health products for women and girls, adolescent sexual reproductive health (ASRH) information and services, plus supporting an integrated SRH mobile outreach in the camps and host communities.

On average the two camps are home to an estimated 2,000 pregnancies a month, where a tenth of the women encounter complications that may result in miscarriages, he said, affirming that despite achievements towards zero maternal deaths back in 2022, a recent influx of asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of Congo “had further strained the healthcare infrastructure within the camps.”

The strain, coupled with potential deficiencies in emergency obstetric and neonatal care SRH and gender –based violence services, heightens the risk of maternal and neonatal mortality and unwanted pregnancies, he asserted.

UNFPA is collaborating with its camp-based and host community implementing partners like the Tanzania Red Cross Society (TRCS), Borderless (T) Ltd which is part of Borderless Japan Corporation, working with the health authorities to enhance the health and wellbeing of women and children.