Our Story

A Vision for Better Child Healthcare in Africa

In 2008, under the visionary leadership of Dr. Mark Jacobson, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre (ALMC) opened as a modern teaching hospital serving Northern Tanzania. Built as an extension of Selian Lutheran Hospital, ALMC quickly became known for compassionate care and a commitment to serving all patients regardless of their ability to pay. It was within this environment that the foundations of ICHA were first laid.

In 2013, Dr. Stephen Swanson, a pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases, tropical medicine, and academic pediatrics, and his wife Jodi Swanson, a pediatric nurse, moved to Tanzania with their family. While they initially expected to focus on pediatric infectious diseases and research, they soon recognized one of the region’s greatest unmet needs: saving newborn lives.

Building a New Model of Neonatal Care

At the time, the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at ALMC faced many of the same challenges seen across sub-Saharan Africa. Prematurity, birth complications, infections, limited equipment, and a shortage of specialized healthcare professionals contributed to high newborn mortality. Working alongside an extraordinary team of Tanzanian physicians, nurses, and allied healthcare professionals, Dr. Swanson and Jodi helped develop a different approach. Rather than relying on expensive technology designed for high-income countries, the team focused on:

Together, they created a model that demonstrated what is possible when committed people are equipped with practical skills and supported by proven systems.

Transforming Newborn Survival

The results exceeded expectations. More than 2,800 babies have survived because of the care provided through our NICU. The program achieved:

These outcomes demonstrated that world-class neonatal care is possible in resource-limited settings when healthcare professionals receive the training, mentorship, and support they need.

From One Hospital to a Continental Impact

As clinical experience grew, so did opportunities to share it. What began as bedside teaching evolved into educational programs that now reach healthcare professionals across Africa. The team’s work expanded to include:

A single neonatal unit had become a center for education, innovation, and collaboration with growing influence throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

Why ICHA Was Created

As the neonatal and pediatric programs continued to flourish, it became increasingly clear that their long-term impact required an independent foundation that could ensure their sustainability and future growth.

ICHA was established to preserve what had been built over more than a decade:

ICHA was created not because the model needed to change—but because it had proven so successful that it deserved a stable foundation for the future.

Looking Forward

Today, ICHA continues to partner closely with healthcare institutions in Northern Tanzania while also pursuing an independent vision for advancing child health across Africa. Our work now extends far beyond a single hospital. Through clinical care, specialist training, mentorship, education, and practical innovation, ICHA is helping strengthen healthcare systems and equip African clinicians to improve outcomes for children throughout the continent. We believe lasting change happens when local healthcare professionals are empowered with the knowledge, skills, and resources to lead.

Preserving What Works. Building What Comes Next.

ICHA exists to protect a proven model of care while expanding its impact. By investing in African clinicians, strengthening healthcare systems, and sharing practical, evidence-based solutions, we are helping ensure that more children survive—and thrive—for generations to come.

ICHA was Founded by Dr Steve & Jodi Swanson

Stephen Swanson, MD, DTM&H, FAAP, Associate Professor Division of Global Pediatrics University of Minnesota Medical School. A board-certified pediatric and infectious disease physician and serves in the care of children at Arusha Lutheran Medical Center (ALMC), Selian Lutheran Hospital and the Arusha Pediatric and Maternal Care Centre in Arusha, Tanzania.

Steve graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1997, and subsequently completed his pediatric residency at Children’s Hospital and Research Centre at Oakland.  He was a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalist at Stanford University Hospital before completing a postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric infectious disease at Washington University School of Medicine and Epidemiology training at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Minnesota Department of Health.  Following his time at Minnesota Department of Health, he served as the pediatric inpatient medical director at Hennepin Country Medical Centre, and on faculty at University of Minnesota Global Pediatrics Program.  Steve is:

Jodi Swanson, a pediatric nurse, participates in the care and management of severe acute childhood malnutrition in the hospital and community, as well as being active in nursing and health education and training community health workers. Jodi trained in Biology at Wheaton College and received a Nursing Doctorate (ND) in Pediatric Nursing at Case Western Reserves University.