Janet decries high infant death rate
Jan 12, 2004
First Lady Mrs. Janet Museveni has called for concerted effort to reduce the high infant and maternal mortality rates in Uganda.<br>Mrs Museveni, a goodwill ambassador for safe motherhood, in a new year message yesterday said, “The health of women, children and the family unit should be everybody
By Milton Olupot
First Lady Mrs. Janet Museveni has called for concerted effort to reduce the high infant and maternal mortality rates in Uganda.
Mrs Museveni, a goodwill ambassador for safe motherhood, in a new year message yesterday said, “The health of women, children and the family unit should be everybody’s concern.
The maternal mortality rate of 505 per 100,000 live births is very high compared to 20 per 100,000 in developed countries.
“In Uganda it translates to 421 women dying per month. For every woman who dies in childbirth, another 20-30 live with chronic illnesses or permanent disability,†she said. She said the child mortality rate of 88 per 1,000 was also very high compared to less than four per 1,000 in the developed world and that 50% of the deaths were related to the health of their mothers.
She said to ensure the health and survival of children, the country must ensure that the mothers are healthy and able to look after the whole family unit.
She cited lack of health facilities, long distances from home to health centres as some of the common reasons given.
She urged all families to regularly visit health workers for check-ups during pregnancy to reduce the risk of child and mother mortality rates. She also emphasised that trained persons should assist at every birth.
“To reduce the dangers in pregnancy and childbirth, all families should know the warning signs such as anaemia, bleeding, convulsions, swollen feet and fevers. A balanced diet is necessary. Consult during antenatal visits,†she said.
She also called for spacing of pregnancies at least two years apart, and avoiding pregnancies below the age of 18 or above the age of 35. She said girls who are healthy and well fed during their own childhood and teenage years have fewer problems in pregnancy and childbirth.
She attributed the problems to lack of awareness among women, poverty, cultural values which force young girls to marriage and polygamy, which instills a culture of competition into child bearing without proper spacing.
First Lady Mrs. Janet Museveni has called for concerted effort to reduce the high infant and maternal mortality rates in Uganda.
Mrs Museveni, a goodwill ambassador for safe motherhood, in a new year message yesterday said, “The health of women, children and the family unit should be everybody’s concern.
The maternal mortality rate of 505 per 100,000 live births is very high compared to 20 per 100,000 in developed countries.
“In Uganda it translates to 421 women dying per month. For every woman who dies in childbirth, another 20-30 live with chronic illnesses or permanent disability,†she said. She said the child mortality rate of 88 per 1,000 was also very high compared to less than four per 1,000 in the developed world and that 50% of the deaths were related to the health of their mothers.
She said to ensure the health and survival of children, the country must ensure that the mothers are healthy and able to look after the whole family unit.
She cited lack of health facilities, long distances from home to health centres as some of the common reasons given.
She urged all families to regularly visit health workers for check-ups during pregnancy to reduce the risk of child and mother mortality rates. She also emphasised that trained persons should assist at every birth.
“To reduce the dangers in pregnancy and childbirth, all families should know the warning signs such as anaemia, bleeding, convulsions, swollen feet and fevers. A balanced diet is necessary. Consult during antenatal visits,†she said.
She also called for spacing of pregnancies at least two years apart, and avoiding pregnancies below the age of 18 or above the age of 35. She said girls who are healthy and well fed during their own childhood and teenage years have fewer problems in pregnancy and childbirth.
She attributed the problems to lack of awareness among women, poverty, cultural values which force young girls to marriage and polygamy, which instills a culture of competition into child bearing without proper spacing.