Experts warn mothers against herbal medicines
Health experts have warned mothers against using herbal medicine commonly known as ''kyogero" for bathing their newborn, saying that some of them are harmful to babies.
By Violet Nabatanzi
Health experts have warned mothers against using herbal medicine commonly known as 'kyogero" for bathing their newborn, saying that some of them are harmful to babies.
A recent study done in Kampala showed that majority of mothers were using herbal medicine to bathe their newborn babies.
The practice of bathing babies in herbal medicine stood at 65 percent. The study further revealed that 50 percent of the mothers applied various substances on the baby's' cord to quicken the healing.
Presenting the findings at the 11th Annual pediatric conference in Kampala, Dr. Violet Kayom said, although most of the mothers' did not bathe their babies within the first 24 hours of birth, majority had no knowledge of skin to skin care as a thermo-protective method.
The theme for this year's conference is , 'the future of child health, opportunities and challenges,"
Dr. Jane Achan the president of Pediatric association said some mothers use banana ashes to heal the cord, saying that they should stop doing so because most of these substances have harmful effects on the babies
The report also showed that over 99 percent of the mothers attended antenatal care at least once and the majority delivered from a health facility. 93.2 percent of the mothers' breastfed exclusively but only 60 percent initiated breastfeeding within the first hour of life and 29 percent used pre lacteal feeds.
About 1.2 million Babies are born every year in Uganda. At Mulago National referral hospital records, showed that there were 31,201 babies born in 2010, 33,331 in 2011, 33,231 in 2012 and 31,400 in 2013.
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