Why Kawempe Hospital deliveries have declined by 7,000

______________________

The number of mothers delivering at Kawempe National Referral Hospital has decreased by 7,000 from 30,000 to 23,000 annually.

Dr Lawrence Kazibwe, a consultant gynaecologist, obstetrician and clinical head at the hospital, attributes this decline to the health ministry's efforts to equip lower-level health facilities.

Speaking during the Women in Insurance Uganda (WIN) celebration of five years at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel during the launch of a corporate social responsibility initiative on maternal health, Kazibwe noted that out of the 23,000 deliveries, 50% approximately 11,000 are through Caesarean section.

“This requires a significant amount of equipment, especially during surgical interventions, to save lives,” he said.

Against this background, the hospital received C-section sets from WIN to supplement its existing resources and enhance its ability to save more lives.

Kazibwe added that the facility sees an average of 60,000 mothers for antenatal care each year.

Third Deputy Prime Minister, Rukia Isanga Nakadama and Hajjat Aphwa Sebyala President of WIN (c) pose for a photo with the Executive Committee during the celebration of five years held at the Sheraton Hotel. (Photo by Violet Nabatanzi)

Hajjat Aphwa Sebyala, President of WIN, explained on February 20, 2025, that after visiting the hospital and witnessing its challenges, they decided to support maternal health.

“We started with Kawempe, but we will extend this initiative to Women’s Hospital and other facilities. The insurance market has supported this cause 100%,” she said.

WIN also donated mama kits to mothers expected to give birth around March 7, 2025.

Sebyala noted that young mothers face many challenges, with some lacking essential items for childbirth. “That’s why we are providing these mama kits,” she said.

“We have officially launched this initiative, and we believe that together, as women in the industry, we can make a difference,” said Ritah Mutesi Kabayiza, Executive Director at Willis Towers Watson and chair of the convention.