Numbers in the News — Digest #2
Data Zetu’s second digest of data-driven Tanzanian media stories.
This blog post was published as part of the Data Zetu project. Data Zetu is now an initiative of the Tanzania dLab, a local NGO that promotes innovation and data literacy through a premier center of excellence. For more information about the dLab, visit www.dlab.or.tz. For more information about the Data Zetu project, visit www.irex.org.
Numbers in the News is a recurring post highlighting data journalism in Tanzania. Learn more in our first Digest here.
Child mortality rates have gone down in Tanzania. The fearful days of birthing children in poorly serviced clinics are diminishing and it has become easier to access care due to the availability of more hospitals. Our media fellow Angel Navuri reports that neonatal guidelines and training have also been implemented at Muhimbili National Hospital to further encourage proper care and ensure the survival of newborns.
Meanwhile, data shows there has been a decrease in child deaths due to diarrhea and pneumonia. Tanzania has managed to do so, surpassing other countries progress scores, by providing vaccines, oral re-hydration therapy, and encouraging breastfeeding.
Data Zetu Media Fellow Nuzulack Dausen reports that many of Tanzania’s orphans are missing out on educational opportunities due to the lack of apt caregivers. Dausen argues that it is essential to provide these opportunities to orphans so they may have the option to succeed in life.
Nuzulack also suggests taking care of your health and setting specific goals in order to become successful in your professional and everyday life. He recommends early rising and paying attention to small bad habits that may affect you in the future.
Elsewhere, the government is being applauded for successfully increasing the use of modern contraceptives in most parts of the country. The government plans to reach its goal of 45% users by 2020.
Below are more data-driven stories by our Media Fellows. These are only a selection of all stories that emphasize Data Zetu’s priority sectors (health, economic growth, and gender equality):
- Mother to child HIV transmission still high in Tanzania, new data show — The Guardian
- 2,000,000 children are out of school, Tanzania — The Guardian
- Ecobank focuses on technological reforms — Mwananchi (in Swahili)
- The banking sector begins to see new light — Mwananchi (in Swahili)
Data Zetu is a coalition of Tanzanian civic innovation organisations that aim to empower communities to make better, evidence-based decisions to improve their lives.
The coalition consists of Code for Tanzania (CfT), Sahara Sparks (SS) and the Tanzania Bora Initiative (TBI), with global expertise from SBC4D and IREX, funded by the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief(PEPFAR).
Data Zetu operates as part of the $21.8 million Data Collaboratives for Local Impact (DCLI) programme administered by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).
