Doctors want more funding to reduce infant, maternal death
Nov 11, 2009
HEALTH officials have called for increased funding to stop the high infant and maternal mortality rates.
By Catherine Bekunda
HEALTH officials have called for increased funding to stop the high infant and maternal mortality rates.
They said the leading four causes of maternal deaths, which are over bleeding, sepsis, obstructed labour and abortion were preventable.
“The technology is here. Uganda should not have an excuse of letting women continue dying,†said Dr. Jotham Musinguzi, the director of the Partners in Population and Development Organisation.
He noted that more attention should be given to health workers by ensuring that they are recruited and retained in remote areas.
Musinguzi blamed the high death rates on the poor health system, lack of knowledge, poverty and gender discrimination.
Infant mortality rate is 76 per 1,000 live births in Uganda. This means that one in every 13 babies does not live to the first birthday and one in seven does not reach the age of five, according to the Uganda Demographic Health survey.
In Uganda 6,000 women die annually due to pregnancy related complications.
Last week, health minister Stephen Mallinga, who officiated at the launch of the White Ribbon Alliance, a coalition formed to address the need to make pregnancy and childbirth safe, said his ministry wanted to reduce the infant and maternal mortality rates by 2.7% by 2015.
“We have carried out a pilot study in Soroti and realised that this can be achieved,†he noted.
“No woman should be harmed by pregnancy and childbirth,†said Dr. Josaphat Byamugisha, the head of the gynaecology department at Mulago Hospital.
The United Nations Population Fund country director, Janet Jackson, demanded that the health ministry ensures that women and newborns have access to quality health care.
Only 47% of expectant mothers in Uganda go for the recommended four antenatal check-ups and many of them go for the first check-up after their fifth month of pregnancy.
HEALTH officials have called for increased funding to stop the high infant and maternal mortality rates.
They said the leading four causes of maternal deaths, which are over bleeding, sepsis, obstructed labour and abortion were preventable.
“The technology is here. Uganda should not have an excuse of letting women continue dying,†said Dr. Jotham Musinguzi, the director of the Partners in Population and Development Organisation.
He noted that more attention should be given to health workers by ensuring that they are recruited and retained in remote areas.
Musinguzi blamed the high death rates on the poor health system, lack of knowledge, poverty and gender discrimination.
Infant mortality rate is 76 per 1,000 live births in Uganda. This means that one in every 13 babies does not live to the first birthday and one in seven does not reach the age of five, according to the Uganda Demographic Health survey.
In Uganda 6,000 women die annually due to pregnancy related complications.
Last week, health minister Stephen Mallinga, who officiated at the launch of the White Ribbon Alliance, a coalition formed to address the need to make pregnancy and childbirth safe, said his ministry wanted to reduce the infant and maternal mortality rates by 2.7% by 2015.
“We have carried out a pilot study in Soroti and realised that this can be achieved,†he noted.
“No woman should be harmed by pregnancy and childbirth,†said Dr. Josaphat Byamugisha, the head of the gynaecology department at Mulago Hospital.
The United Nations Population Fund country director, Janet Jackson, demanded that the health ministry ensures that women and newborns have access to quality health care.
Only 47% of expectant mothers in Uganda go for the recommended four antenatal check-ups and many of them go for the first check-up after their fifth month of pregnancy.