Professor Emeritus of Paediatrics at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Prof Karim Manji, has published a textbook titled Neonatology for Medical Trainees, which marks the culmination of nearly 25 years of work in neonatal medicine and research. The book was launched in Dar es Salaam on November 2, 2026, during the Aga Khan University's Authors' Day. It brings together decades of experience in neonatal medicine and research, with a focus on the realities of healthcare delivery in low- and middle-income countries.
The idea for the book emerged from years of observing the challenges facing newborn care and recognising the need for medical knowledge developed with African healthcare realities in mind. Prof Manji said that he started putting the book together almost 25 years ago. The publication is designed primarily for medical trainees, as well as other healthcare professionals responsible for caring for newborns. Its central message is that saving a newborn's life does not always require sophisticated technology or complicated medical procedures.
The book covers essential newborn care, including kangaroo mother care, early initiation of feeding, recognition of danger signs, and management of premature and low-birth-weight babies. Prof Manji explained that the book was not intended to be an advanced scientific reference, but a practical guide to helping healthcare professionals make the right clinical decisions. He added that the newborn does not care about complex scientific explanations, but rather what they need to survive.
Prof Manji's determination to produce a locally relevant reference book was shaped by his experience as a young specialist in London in 1994. He requested a neonatology textbook and low-reading thermometers to help identify hypothermia among newborns. The equipment supported research that demonstrated neonatal hypothermia was a problem in Tanzania, despite its tropical climate. This experience strengthened his conviction that Tanzania needed its own practical medical reference.
The urgency of the approach is reflected in the latest available international estimates. According to UNICEF's country data, Tanzania's neonatal mortality rate stood at 20 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024, equivalent to an estimated 47,450 newborn deaths during the year. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, the challenge is even greater, with a neonatal mortality rate of 26.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024.
The publication reflects the belief that experienced specialists have a responsibility to document and share the knowledge they have accumulated throughout their careers. Dr Hussein Manji, an Emergency Medicine Specialist at Aga Khan Health Services, Tanzania, said the book's greatest measure of success would be its impact on future generations of doctors rather than the number of copies sold.
The book's practical approach is also reflected in the contributions of its co-authors, Assistant Professor and Neonatologist Dr Yasser Abdalla, and Assistant Professor and Head of Research. The book aims to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge acquired in medical schools and the decisions doctors must make when attending to patients.
Key points
- The textbook prioritises essential newborn care over complex scientific explanations.
- Tanzania's neonatal mortality rate stood at 20 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024.
- The book aims to equip future doctors with practical medical knowledge to improve newborn survival in Tanzania and across Africa.
