Tanzania’s commitment to preventing maternal and newborn deaths has earned new momentum since 2016 in its adoption of a series of policies that recognize that a healthy and informed population, where fewer women are dying while giving life, is the bedrock of development. The country has made appreciable strides in achieving the Millennium Development Goal of reducing under-5 mortality by two-thirds, yet worryingly, trends are reversing with respect to its maternal mortality rate (MMR). According to the Demographic Health Survey 2015-2016 report, there has been a more than 20% increase in the rate of women dying while giving life over the last eight years, from 432/100,000 live births in 2012 to 556/100,000 live births in 2015.Tanzania is also one of the most challenging places in sub-Saharan Africa to be a newborn, ranking among the 10 countries responsible for more than 60% of newborn deaths.