Thamini Uhai believes on strategic partnerships as mandatory to achieving desired national and global maternal and reproductive health targets. Thamini Uhai has worked closely with the government of Tanzania through the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, the President’s Office-Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), and regional and district council authorities, throughout the design, implementation and monitoring of its interventions. Other partners have been EngenderHealth, which has focused on family planning services; the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has monitored and evaluated the Thamini Uhai program; Global Health Advocacy Incubator, which focuses on advocacy and sustainability of maternal and reproductive health programs and Averting Maternal Death and Disability (AMDD) and ICAP Tanzania, which have focused on implementation research for the birth companionship project in Kigoma. Additional partners have been Jhpiego Tanzania which has worked with Thamini Uhai to increase demand for maternal and reproductive health services as part of the USAID-funded Boresha Afya project in Kasulu and Buhigwe district councils in Kigoma region, Medical Teams International(MTI) which partnered with Thamini Uhai in June 2019 to build capacity of healthcare providers offering humanitarian support to refugees in Mtendeli and Nyarugusu camp facilities in Kigoma region in managing various routine and emergency obstetric complications through onsite mentorship using obstetrician-led mentorship teams. Moreover, Thamini Uhai has partnered with UNICEF in providing technical support on improving the knowledge of mothers/caregivers on healthy newborn care practices and improve enabling environment at community level in Busokelo district in Mbeya region.
In order to sustain program-initiated activities and services in Tanzania, including ensuring that quality EmONC services will continue even after the program ends, we must convince beneficiaries and decision-makers at all levels. Thamini Uhai and partners have reached out at the local and national level to promote sustainability. Activities have included: mobilizing communities; strengthening budget planning and management skills among facility in-charges; and empowering technocrats, politicians and other key decision-makers to understand the value of investing in maternal health.