First Lady launches safe motherhood drive
May 19, 2007
THE First Lady has launched a safe motherhood campaign for the Lango and Acholi sub-regions with an appeal to women to appreciate the programme because it stresses their survival and that of their children.
By Vision Reporter
THE First Lady has launched a safe motherhood campaign for the Lango and Acholi sub-regions with an appeal to women to appreciate the programme because it stresses their survival and that of their children.
Janet Museveni, speaking during a seminar on Thursday, at Acholi Inn in Gulu, observed that safe motherhood was a national issue which affected mothers most.
She urged mothers to work for self-preservation. “I talk to women because safe motherhood is more of a woman issue. If death strikes through lack of safe motherhood, it will come during pregnancy or at birth and it affects the individual woman.â€
Mrs. Museveni, who is also a Goodwill Ambassador for Safe Motherhood, called for empowerment of women through education and employment so that they can make independent decisions for their survival.
She called for voluntarism among village health teams and urged men to support and attend ante-natal care with their wives.
The First Lady noted that HIV/AIDS could be fought through sticking to African cultures and norms which emphasise abstinence among the unmarried and faithfulness in marriage. She also called for revision of traditional norms like bride price which, she said, enslaves the girl-child.
She commended the Government for free universal primary and secondary school education, saying it would help emancipate girls and reduce illiteracy.
The Gulu resident district commissioner, Col. Walter Ochora, praised Mrs. Museveni for her commitment to the cause of women, children and the disadvantaged.
He promised to enhance infrastructure in support of safe motherhood but added that the 20 years of instability had affected service delivery in the region.
Ochora lamented that 160 women die per 1,000 live births in the region compared to the national maternal mortality rate of 76 deaths per 1,000 live births.
THE First Lady has launched a safe motherhood campaign for the Lango and Acholi sub-regions with an appeal to women to appreciate the programme because it stresses their survival and that of their children.
Janet Museveni, speaking during a seminar on Thursday, at Acholi Inn in Gulu, observed that safe motherhood was a national issue which affected mothers most.
She urged mothers to work for self-preservation. “I talk to women because safe motherhood is more of a woman issue. If death strikes through lack of safe motherhood, it will come during pregnancy or at birth and it affects the individual woman.â€
Mrs. Museveni, who is also a Goodwill Ambassador for Safe Motherhood, called for empowerment of women through education and employment so that they can make independent decisions for their survival.
She called for voluntarism among village health teams and urged men to support and attend ante-natal care with their wives.
The First Lady noted that HIV/AIDS could be fought through sticking to African cultures and norms which emphasise abstinence among the unmarried and faithfulness in marriage. She also called for revision of traditional norms like bride price which, she said, enslaves the girl-child.
She commended the Government for free universal primary and secondary school education, saying it would help emancipate girls and reduce illiteracy.
The Gulu resident district commissioner, Col. Walter Ochora, praised Mrs. Museveni for her commitment to the cause of women, children and the disadvantaged.
He promised to enhance infrastructure in support of safe motherhood but added that the 20 years of instability had affected service delivery in the region.
Ochora lamented that 160 women die per 1,000 live births in the region compared to the national maternal mortality rate of 76 deaths per 1,000 live births.