In the early months of a baby’s life, every mother worries about the health and wellbeing of their newborn. Grace, a shopkeeper in Yulumilo, Geita, has firsthand experience of how proximity to a healthcare facility eases a mothers’ anxiety. At just 3 months old, her son Paulo contracted a flu and fever for which he received treatment. Paulo was prescribed a second dose of medicine on a different day and it was easy for her to make the appointment because the health center is close to her home.
Grace notes that she receives care much faster than she did before which gives her confidence to return to her work as a shopkeeper.
The health center is more than a facility but a community where she connects with other mothers during the weekly clinics that enable them to receive information about early childhood development. The new knowledge has improved the care she gives her children at home.