Lessons learnt and best practices in scaling up an emergency transportation system to tackle maternal and neonatal mortality: a qualitative study of key stakeholders in Shinyanga, Tanzania

Objective This study aimed to document lessons learnt and best practices for scaling up an innovative emergency transportation system, drawing insights from the m-mama programme implemented in Shinyanga, Tanzania. The m-mama pilot programme was implemented in phases from 2014 to 2016 in two districts and later scaled up to include all districts in Shinyanga region in 2017. The programme employed an emergency transportation system and technical and operational support of the health system to address the three delays leading to maternal and neonatal mortality.Design Cross-sectional, qualitative research with key healthcare system stakeholders from the national, regional and district levels.Setting The study was conducted in Kahama and Kishapu districts in Shinyanga, Tanzania. The two districts were selected purposefully to represent the programme implementation districts' rural and urban or semiurban settings.Participants District, regional and national stakeholders involved in implementing the m-mama pilot programme in Shinyanga were interviewed between February and March 2022.Results Lessons learnt from implementing the m-mama programme were grouped into four key themes: community engagement, emergency transportation system, government engagement, and challenges and constraints in technical implementation. Stakeholder engagement and collaboration at all levels, community involvement in implementation, adherence to local contexts and effective government partnerships were identified as key drivers for programme success. Coordination, supervision and infrastructure enhancement were crucial in implementing the emergency transportation system.Conclusions Facilitating community involvement, understanding the local context and adapting to existing structures can enhance programme ownership and utilisation. The government serves as the central coordinator, overseeing resource mobilisation and distribution. A well-executed and coordinated emergency transportation system holds promise in addressing delays and curbing maternal and neonatal mortality. Collaborative knowledge-sharing among implementers is essential for identifying best practices and gaining insights into practical strategies for addressing anticipated challenges.