World Bank Injects $140m into maternal health

PIC: Health state minister Sarah Opendi

The World Bank has approved funding of US$140m aimed at improving maternal, child and adolescent health in Uganda.

"The objective of the project is to improve the use of essential health services with a focus on reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services in target districts; and to scale up birth and death registration services in the country," the World Bank stated on its website.

The funding comes at a time when maternal and child mortality rates are too high.

In Uganda, about 90 children per 1, 000 live births die when they are not yet five years old. And over 16 women die every day in pregnancy-related complications.

Hemorrhage or excessive bleeding accounts for 25% of maternal deaths in Uganda. Other causes include complicated labour, abortion, hypertension, sepsis and other indirect causes related to an ailing health system. 

In an earlier interview with New Vision, health state minister Sarah Opendi, said by implementing the interventions such as supply of medical equipment; and ensuring availability of specialists and maternity wards, they hope that under-five mortality rate will fall from 90 deaths per 1, 000 live births in 2011 to 53 deaths per 1, 000 live births in 2017.

Maternal mortality rate would also fall from 438 deaths per 100, 000 live births in 2011 to 211 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2017.