Doris Mollel

Doris is developing in Tanzania and the region a previously non-existing comprehensive system for prevention and improving the survival and well-being of premature births.

Doris is leading a pioneering initiative focused on improving the survival and well-being of premature infants in Tanzania and the region at large. She combines grassroots involvement with systemic change, working to prevent premature births and improve outcomes through a comprehensive strategy that addresses both immediate needs and long-term solutions.

Her approach tackles the full spectrum of neonatal care, from creating affordable, locally-produced medical equipment like CPAP machines—designed by local biomedical engineers—to training healthcare workers, thereby building local capacity and ensuring sustainable healthcare improvements. Doris is also bringing education on premature risk-factors to schools while developing public awareness on premature births. Moreover, she has successfully lobbied for expanded health insurance coverage for premature infants and increased government funding for neonatal care, pushing for systemic policy changes that benefit families.

Through these efforts, premature infants and their families are provided with better care, while healthcare providers are equipped with the necessary tools and knowledge to improve outcomes. Doris envisions a future where Tanzania’s neonatal mortality rates are dramatically reduced, and the healthcare system is better equipped to serve premature infants. This model, informed by Doris’s personal experience and her deep understanding of the needs, is replicable across other regions offering a scalable solution for improving neonatal care and empowering communities to play an active role in their children’s health.

Premature birth, defined as birth before 37 weeks of gestation, is a global health crisis, with the World Health Organization (WHO) identifying it as the leading cause of death for children under five. Alarmingly, every ten seconds a baby is born preterm, and every forty seconds, one of these infants succumbs to complications associated with their early arrival. This vulnerability is compounded by the fact that half of these babies die within the first 24 hours of life and 75% perish within the first week. While 1 in 10 children worldwide are born prematurely, less than 40% survive. These early deaths emphasize the dire need for immediate and specialized neonatal care.

In Tanzania, the situation is even more dire with an estimated 336,000 premature births annually. Tragically, preterm births account for up to 40% of under-five deaths in the country with newborns from low-income families being disproportionately affected. These babies are especially vulnerable as many are not only born too early but are also low birth weight facing compounded risks from infections, respiratory issues and other life-threatening conditions. The health system's inability to adequately address these challenges is a critical barrier to survival. There is a dire shortage of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), essential medical supplies and trained healthcare professionals. With only limited access to specialized care, the vast majority of preterm infants are unable to survive or face lifelong disabilities, mental health complications, and other severe health consequences.

A major contributing factor to this tragedy is the lack of awareness and pervasive myths surrounding premature births. In many Tanzanian communities, premature births are viewed through the lens of superstition with some mothers perceiving them as a curse or a bad omen. These harmful beliefs often lead to abandonment, neglect or failure to seek proper care for these vulnerable infants. This lack of awareness further compounds the problem leading to devastating outcomes such as severe disabilities, long-term health issues, and preventable deaths.

Tanzania's healthcare infrastructure is inadequate to tackle the rising rates of preterm births. There is a complete void in terms of medical equipment, proper training for healthcare workers, and facilities to provide critical neonatal care. This lack of resources has left families helpless and the healthcare system overwhelmed, with many mothers and infants suffering because no solution exists to address this pressing problem. In a country where preterm births are a leading cause of newborn deaths, the absence of a functional system to provide timely and adequate care represents a massive failure in public health. The devastating consequences are felt not only by the families affected but also by the broader social and economic fabric of the nation.

Doris’s approach to addressing the challenges surrounding premature births in Tanzania is rooted in her deep understanding of the issue. From the outset, she recognized the critical gaps in neonatal care, particularly the lack of medical equipment and trained healthcare professionals. She quickly realized that achieving significant impact would require both immediate action and long-term strategies.

To bring her vision to life, Doris founded the Doris Mollel Foundation, which became a central force in addressing these challenges. With the support of her dedicated team, her earliest efforts were securing funding to equip hospitals with the essential medical equipment needed to care for premature infants. While the government was an important partner in her advocacy efforts, Doris and her team took a proactive approach to raising funds directly from corporate partners, donors, and influential leaders. Through tireless lobbying, she was able to persuade key figures, including the President and Vice President of Tanzania, to personally donate substantial amounts of money to support the cause. These high-profile donations played a pivotal role in enabling Doris to equip over 80 hospitals across Tanzania with vital neonatal care equipment such as incubators, phototherapy machines and other life-saving tools. The personal contributions from these influential leaders not only provided financial support but also helped elevate the issue to the national stage, signaling a strong commitment to improving neonatal care across the country.

In addition to providing equipment, Doris understood that training healthcare workers was essential to ensure that these tools were used effectively. Initially, Doris spearheaded training programs through her organization, but she quickly realized the scale of the challenge required government involvement. Through strategic advocacy, she convinced the Ministry of Health to adopt her model. Doris’s collaborative efforts with the ministry have led to the establishment of a nationwide program to train nurses and healthcare professionals in the use of neonatal care equipment. This shift to government-led training ensures sustainability and empowers local healthcare institutions to continue improving neonatal care long after Doris’s direct involvement.

Beyond improving the immediate quality of care, Doris’s strategy also includes long-term prevention efforts. Recognizing that early pregnancies and a lack of reproductive health education were major contributing factors to premature births; she worked with the Ministry of Education to integrate prematurity awareness into the national curriculum. This initiative which starts in 2025 introduces students to the risks of early pregnancies and prematurity with lessons on reproductive health, science and mathematics to help students understand health risks and make informed decisions. By embedding this knowledge into the education system, Doris is laying the foundation for a future generation that is more aware of the risks of premature births and better equipped to prevent them.

To complement her educational outreach, Doris launched a wide-reaching awareness campaign using media to engage the public. She produced a 30-minute documentary focused on the prevention of premature births and the risks associated with early pregnancies. This documentary has been distributed through various media platforms. Every Saturday, Doris hosts a live discussion on Instagram, and every Sunday, she engages audiences via WhatsApp, answering questions and providing information in real-time. This direct engagement has allowed Doris to connect with individuals across Tanzania. By doing this she is creating a platform where people can access valuable information about prematurity, early intervention and the care of premature infants.

Doris also recognized the importance of engaging men in the conversation about premature births as they are often key decision-makers in the household. By partnering with the Football Federation of Tanzania, Doris has used the popularity of football to capture men’s attention and encourage their active participation in reproductive health discussions. She has involved famous Tanzanian footballers like Samatta to champion this. This innovative strategy ensures that both men and women are informed about the risks and prevention of premature births, breaking down cultural barriers and fostering a more inclusive approach to tackling the issue.

Financial barriers remain one of the biggest challenges for families dealing with premature births, so Doris has focused much of her energy on policy advocacy to address these costs. She successfully lobbied for changes in the government’s budgeting priorities ensuring that substantial funds are allocated to neonatal care. In the 2022/23 fiscal year, 23.36 billion Tanzanian shillings were allocated to support neonatal care followed by 6.3 billion Tanzanian shillings in the 2023/24 fiscal year. Additionally, Doris worked with the Association of Health Insurers to ensure that they cover the medical expenses associated with premature births as part of the standard maternity package, rather than as a separate additional cost. This policy change has greatly reduced the financial burden on families, allowing them to access vital medical services without worrying about the costs. Doris is also currently pushing for the national health insurance system to integrate these changes ensuring that this coverage is available to a broader population.

To address the cost of neonatal care even further, Doris collaborated with biomedical engineers to develop a locally produced version of the Bubble CPAP machine, a vital respiratory support device for premature infants. By working with local engineers, Doris helped design a more affordable, effective and durable version of the CPAP machine, significantly reducing the cost of neonatal care while ensuring that the equipment meets the specific needs of Tanzanian hospitals. This innovation has not only made neonatal care more affordable but also more sustainable by relying on locally produced technology.

Doris’s long-term vision includes the development of a model Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to serve as a prototype for other NICUs across Tanzania. Doris is working closely with the government to build this state-of-the-art facility, which will demonstrate the standards and systems necessary to provide the highest level of care for premature infants. Once this model NICU is established, the government has committed to building 99 additional NICUs across the country, ensuring that neonatal care is accessible in even the most remote areas. This commitment represents a major step toward the widespread improvement of neonatal care in Tanzania and could serve as a model for other countries in Africa.

Doris’s work is beginning to draw attention from across Africa and beyond. In 2025, Doris plans to host a meeting of African First Ladies to share her model and encourage its adoption across the continent. She is also building coalitions focused on sexual and reproductive health and climate change, collaborating with over 90 organizations to advocate for systemic change in maternal and child health. Doris’s long-term goal is to saturate Tanzania with her programs by 2030 and to build a sustainable organization that will continue to make an impact for years to come. Ultimately, Doris aims to expand her efforts globally, ensuring that her model of neonatal care and prevention reaches the most vulnerable populations worldwide.

Doris’s journey has been deeply shaped by her own early experiences and a strong commitment to improving the lives of others. Born prematurely, Doris weighed only 900 grams at birth and was one of a set of twins. Her survival and that of her brother were largely due to the tireless efforts of their mother, a nurse, whose professional expertise and relentless care played a crucial role in their thriving. This experience not only shaped Doris’s understanding of the critical challenges premature infants face but also instilled in her a lifelong passion for helping vulnerable children and families.

From a young age, Doris exhibited entrepreneurial qualities. While in high school, she launched a school magazine the first of its kind in her area. Through this initiative, she interviewed industry leaders and used the magazine as a platform to raise funds which she then donated to support her community providing essential resources such as food and clothes to those in need. She became known for her resourcefulness in mobilizing others to support meaningful causes.

Doris’s leadership potential further blossomed during her university years. She formed the United Nations club where she initiated efforts to collect donations for disadvantaged children in the community. She also organized a tourism-for-charity program for foster children which included excursions to museums and educational discussions. This program continues to this day with Doris providing advice as an alumnus.

Doris’s public profile was further elevated when she won the title of Miss Singida in 2014 and became the first runner-up in the Miss Tanzania pageant. Leveraging this platform, Doris used her visibility to raise awareness about the challenges faced by premature babies drawing from her own experiences. She advocated for improvements in neonatal care using her crown and influence to bring attention to the urgent need for better support for affected families.

Despite her academic success, a Bachelor’s Degree in Politics and Management of Social Development, a Postgraduate Diploma in Management of Foreign Relations and a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management, Doris made a bold decision after graduation. Her parents had hoped she would pursue a corporate career but Doris chose instead to follow her passion for social change. Turning down highly paid job offers, she committed herself fully to addressing the needs of premature infants and their families. In 2015, Doris founded the Doris Mollel Foundation. Through her efforts, Doris has saved thousands of lives and become a leading force in improving neonatal care for premature infants globally offering a powerful example of how personal experiences can drive systemic change.