Health
Health ministry digitalises maternal health surveillance
Mugahi said that this initiative is backed by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development (HEPS-Uganda), and Health Initiatives for the Private Sector (HIPS).
A cross sections of expecting mothers at Kawempe Referral Hospital in Kampala. (Photo by Wilfred Sanya)
By: Paul Kiwuuwa, Journalist @New Vision
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The health ministry is set to pilot a digital programme to monitor maternal health events affecting mothers and babies at Health Centres IIIs and IVs.
This initiative will assist the health ministry in accounting for every child born in the country, whether alive or deceased.
The Commissioner for Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health at the Ministry of Health, Dr Richard Mugahi, said the study aims at piloting the integration of birth weight, age and deaths to enable them to make interventions and evaluation with the District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS 2), a tool for epidemic detection and response within the epidemic life cycle framework.
Commissioner for Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health at the Uganda Ministry of Health (MOH) Richard Mugahi, Paul Mbaka, Assistant Commissioner Health Safety Information Management and Kenneth Mwehonge, the Executive Director (HEPS-Uganda) at the launch of the digital system aimed at strengthening the health information system in the country. (Photo by Wilfred Sanya)
Mugahi said that this initiative is backed by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development (HEPS-Uganda), and Health Initiatives for the Private Sector (HIPS).
He made the revelation during the launch of a digital system designed to strengthen the health information system in the country on June 11, 2026, at Fairway Hotel in Kampala.
According to Mugahi, the ministry is undertaking to assess the current functionality and system readiness of Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response in the districts of Mukono, Kyegegwa, and Kasese, which are the leading districts in handling maternal health surveillance.
According to the Uganda Demographic and Health (UDHS) Survey 2022/2023 report, the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in Uganda is 189 deaths per 100,000 live births, and the infant mortality rate recorded 36 deaths per 1,000 live births.
However, according to UNICEF, in 2011, one in 11 children died before the age of five, compared to one in seven in 2001. During the same period, infant mortality decreased from one in 18 to one in 11.
He said they would like to align the objectives of the Ministry of Health Strategic Plan and the National Development Plan to ensure the safety of the mothers and babies.
“We feel that this is cost-effective and will save the sector a lot of money spent on manual record-keeping tools. With a click of a button, a supervisor at any level will be able to know the time of death of a child or a mother’s death, and it will give clues for investigation,” he explained.
He said in areas where they lack electricity, they will install solar power to ensure the data is transmitted to the district instantly.
Mugahi highlighted that before the lower facilities, health centres had been using manual registers to capture the data; now, we are transitioning to digital. The new system will empower us to quickly evaluate maternal and perinatal deaths and respond with targeted health interventions.
The health workers will use English to capture the data. The tool will aid health workers in collecting data, but also the managers at the centres will be able to know what has happened at the health centres within a day, he added.
“The data collected at the facility-level health Centers from 111 and 1Vs will track data, including mothers who go for antenatal care services, normal deliveries, caesarian cases, underweight babies and babies’ deaths," he stated.
The tool is an intervention helping health workers collect data, but also the managers at the centres will be able to know what has happened at the health centres within a day.
Kenneth Mwehonge, the Executive Director (HEPS-Uganda), said all the partners in health or private not-for-profit, predominantly faith-based organisations, and NGOs will be connected to the digital programme.
Mwehonge said that in four months, they expect health workers concerned with the project to have been trained to record all the data required for the health facilities.
Richard Mulumba, the district Health Officer of Kyegegwa, said, “They are looking at integrating issues of maternal health, perinatal death reviews, and response systems, with epidemic surveys.”
Mulumba stated that electronic medical records systems will be beneficial in general hospitals, even for consultations. However, it is important to note that this requires adequate funding. Such systems depend on electricity, sufficient data, and the necessary equipment to operate effectively.
He emphasised that digital systems facilitate the rapid dissemination of information. For instance, if ten babies were to die at a health centre simultaneously, this information would be recorded promptly, prompting immediate investigations. In contrast, manual systems would cause delays in response, hindering timely action.
Anthony Ssebagereka, the Survey Manager at HEPS Uganda, stated that they will be working in 11 health centres in Mukono, 13 health centres in Kasese, and 15 health centres in Kyegegwa districts. Ssebagereka added that the findings of this project will help health workers develop a shared vision for their work. He emphasised that the goal of this initiative is to reduce the number of mothers who die after giving birth as they journey home with their babies.
He said in areas where they lack electricity, they will install solar power to ensure the data is transmitted to the district instantly.
Mugahi highlighted that before the lower facilities, health centres had been using manual registers to capture the data; now, we are transitioning to digital. The new system will empower us to quickly evaluate maternal and perinatal deaths and respond with targeted health interventions.
The health workers will use English to capture the data. The tool will aid health workers in collecting data, but also the managers at the centres will be able to know what has happened at the health centres within a day, he added.
“The data collected at the facility-level health Centers from 111 and 1Vs will track data, including mothers who go for antenatal care services, normal deliveries, caesarian cases, underweight babies and babies’ deaths," he stated.
The tool is an intervention helping health workers collect data, but also the managers at the centres will be able to know what has happened at the health centres within a day.
Kenneth Mwehonge, the Executive Director (HEPS-Uganda), said all the partners in health or private not-for-profit, predominantly faith-based organisations, and NGOs will be connected to the digital programme.
Mwehonge said that in four months, they expect health workers concerned with the project to have been trained to record all the data required for the health facilities.
Richard Mulumba, the district Health Officer of Kyegegwa, said, “They are looking at integrating issues of maternal health, perinatal death reviews, and response systems, with epidemic surveys.”
Mulumba stated that electronic medical records systems will be beneficial in general hospitals, even for consultations. However, it is important to note that this requires adequate funding. Such systems depend on electricity, sufficient data, and the necessary equipment to operate effectively.
He emphasised that digital systems facilitate the rapid dissemination of information. For instance, if ten babies were to die at a health centre simultaneously, this information would be recorded promptly, prompting immediate investigations. In contrast, manual systems would cause delays in response, hindering timely action.
Anthony Ssebagereka, the Survey Manager at HEPS Uganda, stated that they will be working in 11 health centres in Mukono, 13 health centres in Kasese, and 15 health centres in Kyegegwa districts. Ssebagereka added that the findings of this project will help health workers develop a shared vision for their work. He emphasised that the goal of this initiative is to reduce the number of mothers who die after giving birth as they journey home with their babies.