Mothers cry out for life saving drugs

By Abou Kisige

In a bid to save lives and avoid unwanted pregnancies, health officials have called on Government to formulate policy guidelines to ensure constant supply of life-saving drugs and equipment to all health centres.

“These medicines are essential. If they are made available, it will help reduce the death of most vulnerable mothers and children who die out of preventable causes,” Robinah Najjingo, a Village Health Officer in Kiboga district noted.

Najjingo said despite Government efforts to improve health services, much needs to be done to reduce the high maternal and child mortality rates in the rural areas.

She made the remarks during a media tour of health centres in Kiboga district, last week. It was facilitated by World Vision to ascertain the state of the health facilities in the area, raise awareness, increase demand and supply, and sensitize the public about the significance of life saving commodities in health facilities.

Najjingo said there is need to exert pressure to increase supply of life saving items in all rural health facilities country wide.

The 13 life saving medicines and commodities are Oral Rehydration Salt and Zinc for child, injector antibiotics, Antenatal Corticosteroid, Chlorhexidine and Resuscitation for Newborn babies.

Others are Oxytocin, Misoprostol and Magnesium Sulfate for maternal health and female condoms, Implants and emergency contraception for reproductive health.

“Implants for example are one of the 13 life-saving commodities that the Ministry of Health through the UN Commission identified as items, which if accessed and properly used, could save the lives of at least six million women and children,” Najjingo said.

According to the 2011 Uganda Demographic Health Survey (UDHS), only 13 to 15 per cent of Uganda’s poorest and least educated married women used modern contraceptives, compared with 37 to 39 per cent of the wealthiest and most educated women.

Patients waiting for essential medicines at Naalinya Ndagire Health Centre 111 in Kigando, Mulagi Sub county in Kiboga district on March 06, 2015. PHOTO Abou Kisige

Najjingo said although progress has been made towards achieving Millennium Development Goal 5 (improve maternal health); access to family planning methods is still minimal in the rural parts of the country.

She said there is need to support advocacy efforts geared at increasing budgetary allocations for such items.

Charles Byaruhanga, an enrolled Nursing Officer at Naalinya Ndagire Health Centre 111, said they only get short term contraceptives like pills and condoms with few rounds of Injector Plan.

“Since the drugs are not always available many women go without it, thus many getting unwanted pregnancies especially the youth,” Byaruhanga said.

The facility, receives between 84-104 women who demand for reproductive health related services and maternal health commodities every week.

According to statistics available at Kiboga hospital, they register between 70-115 mothers in need of family planning services daily.

A senior health official at Kiboga hospital, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they receive a budget of sh800m and only sh300m is allocated for live saving medicines. “This is very little in relation to the demand. We call on donors to give support,” she said.

The hospital also serves part of neighboring districts of Mubende, Kyankwanzi, Mityana and Kibaale.