How Mbale DPC helped stranded pregnant mother
Ms Agnes Namagwa, a care taker hands over the new-born baby to Mbale DPC, SP Fred Ahimbisibwe shortly after Ritah Nambozo giving birth at Mbale regional referral hospital. Photo by Yahudu Kitunzi
What you need to know:
Residents have however said most of the officials don’t pick up calls especially at night. But the Mbale district NRM chairperson, Mr. Muhamood Masaba, said they have enough vehicles to pick any sick person in the district.
“Both the district and non-governmental organisations have given us enough vehicles and are parked at the district health office waiting for any emergency. We have hotlines where you just call and they pick you,” Mr Masaba said.
Last Saturday night, Ms Ritah Nambozo, 20, a resident of Bunabire Village, Nabanyole Parish in Wanale Sub County, Mbale District started experiencing labour pains shortly after having supper. She decided to walk for about 10 kilometres to a nearby health facility to deliver. Nambozo had to walk through a forest to reach the health facility.
On reaching Busano Health Centre III, she was referred to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, which is about 30kms away, but she did not have any means to get them there.
“When health workers at Busano Health Centre referred me to Mbale hospital, I knew I was going to die because I had no transport means, and no permission from the authority,” she said. She then walked back home.
Luckily for her though, she had saved some numbers in case of an emergency.
“Nambozo says, “I remembered that I had saved two contacts of RDC, Mr Sulaiman Barasa Ogajo and DPC Mbale, Mr Fred Ahimbisibwe on my phone. I called but the RDC’s phone was off. I decided to call DPC who responded immediately by sending us a police ambulance free charge.”
Nambozo had noted and saved the phone contact of the DPC when he appeared on one of Mbale’s local radios for a community policing programme.
She praised DPC for saving her life. “I was stranded without transport. I will never forget this DPC for saving my life,” Ms Nambozo said, adding, “Who am I for the DPC to pick me?”
Ms Agnes Namagwa, Nambozo’s sister-in-law, said Mr Ahimbisibwe responded to their call almost immediately.
“They picked us several kilometres away from Mbale town. My sister-in-law gave birth to a bouncing baby boy in the hospital,” Ms Namagwa said.
Mr Ahimbisibwe, said when he got the call, he responded as fast as he could. He said he started coordinating with the mothers from 11pm to 1am until he managed to reach where they were and pick them.
“I immediately drove to her home, picked her and took her to hospital where she gave birth from.
We want to encourage the members of the public to have our contacts because we are here to serve the public. We can help in any case of any emergency,” he added.
The Mbale District Health Officer (DHO), Dr Jonathan Dr Wangisi, said they have three ambulances on standby to pick expectant mothers from the villages.
“We have ambulances ready to pick mothers and other people suffering from other related diseases. Let people call us for any emergency, we shall respond,” Dr Wangisi said.
Residents have however said most of the officials don’t pick up calls especially at night. But the Mbale district NRM chairperson, Mr. Muhamood Masaba, said they have enough vehicles to pick any sick person in the district.
“Both the district and non-governmental organisations have given us enough vehicles and are parked at the district health office waiting for any emergency. We have hotlines where you just call and they pick you,” Mr Masaba said.
