What We Do
The shortage of healthcare workers is a major barrier to improved health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa. But simply training healthcare workers is not enough. We have to bring them to patients in rural areas where there are the greatest unmet health needs. A sustainable solution to the healthcare crisis must address this challenge.
Touch Foundation has filled the pipeline of healthcare workers and is now poised to deploy multi-disciplinary health teams to rural district hospitals to treat Africa's rural patients. We will focus on areas with the highest incidence of infant and maternal mortality, HIV/AIDS and malaria. Doctors and nurses already stationed in these remote regions will get the added clinical support from these teams, increasing the likelihood that they will continue to serve in these areas of highest need.
We will also support the training of more healthcare students at these locations, further increasing Tanzania's capacity.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) supports our plan to reach rural patients and has announced a three year public-private partnership (2011-14), pledging to match donor contributions at a 1:1 basis up to US $8.5 million.
The Crisis
The scale of suffering and preventable loss of life caused by the health crisis in sub-Saharan Africa is staggering.
Saving Lives
We have invested US $26 million in cash and in kind to train more healthcare workers. Touch is now ensuring these professionals reach patients in rural areas.
Sustainable Outcomes
Invest in the retention of trained healthcare workers for the long term.