About Touch Foundation
Touch Foundation: Strengthening Healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa
Touch Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to improve healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa. The foundation was established in 2004 with the mission of providing better access to care and improving the quality of local health systems. Touch Foundation believes that everyone deserves access to quality healthcare, regardless of their location or economic status.
The foundation's work is focused on Tanzania, where it has been working for over a decade. Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world, with a population of over 55 million people and only one doctor for every 20,000 people. This lack of healthcare professionals and resources means that many Tanzanians do not receive adequate medical care.
Touch Foundation's approach to improving healthcare involves strengthening local health systems through partnerships with government agencies, academic institutions, and other organizations. The foundation works closely with these partners to identify gaps in the healthcare system and develop solutions that are sustainable and effective.
One key area where Touch Foundation has made significant progress is in training healthcare workers. The foundation has developed innovative training programs that provide hands-on experience for doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals. These programs help build capacity within local health systems by providing essential skills and knowledge needed to deliver high-quality care.
Another important aspect of Touch Foundation's work is its focus on technology-enabled solutions. The foundation recognizes the potential for technology to transform healthcare delivery in sub-Saharan Africa by increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and improving patient outcomes. To this end, Touch Foundation has developed several digital health initiatives aimed at improving data collection and analysis as well as enhancing communication between patients and providers.
One such initiative is called "Project Last Mile," which leverages Coca-Cola's distribution network to deliver critical medicines to remote areas across Tanzania. Through this partnership between Coca-Cola Company (Tanzania) Limited (CCTL), USAID-Tanzania’s Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement Supply Management project (GHSC-PSM), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded Last Mile Health project (LMH), Ministry of Health Community Development Gender Elderly & Children (MoHCDGEC)and Medical Stores Department(MSD), medicines are delivered directly from warehouses into rural communities using Coca-Cola’s existing supply chain infrastructure.
In addition to its work on the ground in Tanzania, Touch Foundation also advocates for policy changes at both national and international levels aimed at improving global health outcomes overall.
Overall,Touhch Foudation’s efforts have had a significant impact on healthcare delivery across sub-Saharan Africa.Their innovative approach towards building sustainable partnerships ,training programmes ,digital initiatives have helped strengthen local health systems thereby increasing accesssibility,reducing costs while delivering high-quality care .Through their advocacy efforts they continue making strides towards achieving universal accesssibility towards quality heathcare services .