Government to reduce maternal mortality by 50%
The White Ribbon Alliance national coordinator Robina Biteyi (L) and Mr Nkhonjera address journalists at the launch of the campaign in Kampala on Friday. Photo by Stephen Wandera
The Ministry of Health has partnered with civil society organisations to launch a fresh campaign to fight infant and maternal mortality in the country.
The campaign dubbed, “Everyone is Me” is expected to bring to the fore mothers and childhealth issues not only at policy level but also create awareness among Ugandans, who are expected to play a role in saving lives.
“By the time you go to bed, 16 mothers and 121 babies will have died today. The campaign values everyone child, and believes that everyone has a role to play in lowering the current high maternal, newborn and child deaths in Uganda,” Save the Children Uganda country director Peter Nkhonjera told journalists in Kampala on Friday.
The campaign will focus on giving out 1,000 childbirth kit to community health centres and also ensure that trained health workers are available in the centres.
The Assistant Commissioner of Child Health in the Ministry of Health, Dr Jesca Nsungwa Sabiiti, said the ministry has embarked on training 6,000 midwives over the next four years aimed at reducing the alarming rates of maternal and infant mortality in the country.
“The “Everyone is Me” campaign is in line with attaining the Millennium Development Goals, among which includes initiatives to reduce maternal mortality by three-quarters and child mortality by two-thirds,” Dr Sabiiti said.
“We are already running a test site model in Kabarole, Kibale, Kyenjojo and Kamwenge districts to realign our resource with stakeholders to see if we can reduce these deaths. After we have assessed the viability, shall role it to other districts,” she added.
Mr Nkhonjera said the five-year campaign will focus on soliciting “hand-raiser” actions for policy change, popular mobilisation, programming redirection and resource mobilisation for maternal, newborn and child healthcare.
The campaign is being implemented in partnership with The White Ribbon Alliance, Unicef and the United Nations Population Fund.
According to the 2006 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, some 6,000 women die annually during pregnancy, during childbirth or due to complications that arise shortly after. The survey also indicates that 44,500 newborn babies die within the first 28 days of life, while about 184,000 children do not live to see their fifth birthday.
