Recruit more midwives, say MPs
Jun 10, 2009
MPs want more midwives recruited to improve reproductive health at the grassroots.
By Joyce Namutebi
MPs want more midwives recruited to improve reproductive health at the grassroots.
The committee on social services also wants the midwives to be accommodated at the health centres and to continuously be trained to improve their skills.
They said health centre 111s at the sub-county level should have out-patient service, admit patients and offer maternity services.
The recommendations are contained in a May report, which was compiled after the MPs visited health units in 16 districts.
The MPs were monitoring the performance of the health sector.
Statistics show that maternal mortality in Uganda stands at 435 death per 100,000 live births.
Earlier this year, the director of health services, Dr. Sam Zaramba, said many women delivered at home in unhealthy conditions, which sometimes led to death.
He said Health Centre 11s had been allowed to conduct deliveries to reduce the number of women giving birth at home.
Committee chairman Rosemary Sseninde said the Government should increase the money allocated to reproductive health to achieve the 5th Millennium Development Goal of improved maternal health by 2015.
She said money allocated to primary health care had remained constant for the last 10 years, adding that it should be increased to match the rising population.
The committee also said focus should be put on the control of sexually transmitted infections, family planning, antenatal care and supervised deliveries.
The MPs urged the Government to expedite the process of branding public drugs, saying it would reduce drug theft in public health centres.
MPs want more midwives recruited to improve reproductive health at the grassroots.
The committee on social services also wants the midwives to be accommodated at the health centres and to continuously be trained to improve their skills.
They said health centre 111s at the sub-county level should have out-patient service, admit patients and offer maternity services.
The recommendations are contained in a May report, which was compiled after the MPs visited health units in 16 districts.
The MPs were monitoring the performance of the health sector.
Statistics show that maternal mortality in Uganda stands at 435 death per 100,000 live births.
Earlier this year, the director of health services, Dr. Sam Zaramba, said many women delivered at home in unhealthy conditions, which sometimes led to death.
He said Health Centre 11s had been allowed to conduct deliveries to reduce the number of women giving birth at home.
Committee chairman Rosemary Sseninde said the Government should increase the money allocated to reproductive health to achieve the 5th Millennium Development Goal of improved maternal health by 2015.
She said money allocated to primary health care had remained constant for the last 10 years, adding that it should be increased to match the rising population.
The committee also said focus should be put on the control of sexually transmitted infections, family planning, antenatal care and supervised deliveries.
The MPs urged the Government to expedite the process of branding public drugs, saying it would reduce drug theft in public health centres.