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The Government has been asked to equip health facilities with specialised delivery beds for expectant mothers facing severe disabilities.

Wakiso district health assistant officer Betty Nabuganda says there is a need for special attention to expectant mothers with severe disabilities.

According to her, the existing maternity beds in health facilities are general, making it challenging for mothers with severe disabilities to use them comfortably.

Nabuganda made these remarks on January 19, 2024, at Wakiso district headquarters during the launch of a one-year project for young people with disabilities in collaboration with officials from Together Alive Health Initiative (TAHI), a local non-governmental organisation.

Few beds

Laura Kanushu, the member of Parliament representing People Living with Disabilities (PWD), in an interview with New Vision Online, however, mentioned that there are few adjustable maternity beds in some of the hospitals, except in upcountry health facilities.

This implies that women with severe disabilities in upcountry hospitals, lacking access to maternity adjustable beds, might end up giving birth on the floor.

Kanushu highlighted that those procuring delivery beds often assume anyone can use them, which is not the case.

She noted that Parliament has been advocating for the procurement of adjustable maternity beds in hospitals.

The project aims to enhance the participation and representation of young people with disabilities from the Wakiso and Mukono districts.

Nabuganda emphasized that the project, designed to empower young people with disabilities, will focus on building capacity within these groups to advocate for policy changes. This could potentially lead to the development of specific policies or by-laws addressing the need for specialised equipment.

Tackling negative attitudes

The project intends to tackle negative social attitudes at both individual and local government levels that hinder the involvement of young people with disabilities in national policy-making spaces. Additionally, it will address communication and access barriers affecting the participation of young people with disabilities.

Charles Tumwebaze, the executive director of TAHI, stated that they will collaborate with community development officers (CDOs) to identify and select approximately 25 young people with disabilities to champion the cause.

Tumwebaze explained that the goal is to empower these young individuals to ensure their voices are heard and represented at both the national and local levels. This, in turn, will contribute to well-formulated policies that incorporate the perspectives of young people with disabilities.