Government plans to cut maternal deaths by 6,000
Ministry of Health has revealed plans to save an additional 6,350 maternal lives in the next five years, prevent maternal mortality and improve health and quality life of women.
Dr Jesca Nsungwa, the commissioner for child health at Ministry of Health, yesterday said the move will enable the country achieve global targets of 2020 and the Sustainable Development Goals of 2030.
“To end preventable maternal, new born child and adolescent deaths and improve the health and quality of life of women, adolescents and children in Uganda, we want to save an additional 6,350 mothers, 30,600 new borns and 57,600 children (2-59 months) lives over the five years,” Dr Nsungwa said.
She made the remarks while representing Dr Joyce Moriku Kaducu, the State minister for Primary Healthcare, at a media dialogue on reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health in Kampala yesterday.
The ministry hopes to end preventable maternal, newborn, child and adolescent deaths by undertaking the five strategic shifts of the sharpened plan and investment case that include emphasising evidence based on high impact solutions, increasing access for high burden populations, geographical focusing and addressing the broader multi-sectoral context.
“Because we have limited resources we want to go where deaths are happening the most,” Dr Nsungwa said.
The Uganda Demographic and Health Survey of 2016, indicates that the number of mothers who die while giving birth has reduced from 438 to 368 deaths per 100, 000 live births.
Ms Catherine Kukunda, a health worker at Burunga Health Centre III in Kazo District, said government needs to sensitise mothers to go for antenatal care in order to reduce maternal mortality.
Mr Robert Odedo, the chief operating officer at African Centre for Global Health and Social transformation, appealed for increase in number of midwives in health centres in order to reduce the burden of maternal mortality.
Currently, the ministry is focusing on functionalising health centre IVs to cater for mothers who develop life threatening complications.
