Limit caesarian births, minister tells medics

Apr 16, 2009

THE primary health care minister, James Kakooza, has advised medical workers to limit deliveries by caesarian section, especially for first-time mothers.

By Donald Kiirya

THE primary health care minister, James Kakooza, has advised medical workers to limit deliveries by caesarian section, especially for first-time mothers.

“Caesarian deliveries should not be encouraged for healthy first-time mothers,” Kakooza said during an impromptu visit to Jinja Hospital on Easter Monday.

Kakooza said there was a perception by women that it was fashionable to deliver by caesarian.

“Some pregnant women tell the medics to take them straight for caesarian. I advise the women to always listen to doctors and nurses advice,” Kakooza said.

The minister said some mothers were relunctant to attend ante-natal care clinics because they expect to deliver by caesarian.

He toured the maternity and casualty wards and inspected renovation works on the hospital.

Florence Matama, the in-charge of the maternity ward, told Kakooza that there were only three delivery beds in the main labour suit and six in the waiting rooms.

Matama said the waiting rooms had been turned into labour suites to handle the large number of deliveries.

Zauja Culver, the in-charge of the post-natal ward, told Kakooza that the lives of babies in the premature nursery unit were at risk whenever there was a power black out because the generator only served the theatre.

Kakooza instructed the medical superintendent to provide the ministry with details of the problems they faced.
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