Govt announces €1.5m funding for Tanzania

The Government has announced funding of over €1.5m to help authorities in Tanzania reduce the number of babies and mothers who die during and immediately after childbirth.

Currently 58 out of every 1,000 babies born there do not survive.

The money, which was given by Minister for Overseas Aid Peter Power during a trip to the East African country, will also help to combat hunger and HIV.

In Tanzania there is just one doctor for every 25,000 people and just €6 per person is spent on health, compared to almost €4,000 per capita in Ireland.

Dr Asia Hussein from UNICEF said aid from countries like Ireland is making a huge difference in the region of Dodoma.