Policy on maternal death review in hospitals introduced

Jun 27, 2016

Uganda's maternal mortality ratio is 438 per 100,000 live births annually

The Ministry of Health has introduced a policy on Maternal and Perinatal Death Review (MPDR) in which all hospitals both government and private will report to the ministry the number of deaths of mothers and babies during delivery and after birth.

The move is intended to identify problems caused during delivery such that they can put in place a work plan to bridge the gap.

Uganda's maternal mortality ratio is 438 per 100,000 live births annually.

The Coordinator Reproductive Health at the ministry of health Miriam Namugeere explained that ministry is expected to receive the hospital status on maternal deaths and child deaths within 24 hours.

The ministry also directed health workers in all facilities to monitor mothers and their babies for a period of 42 days after delivery.

On the deaths which occur to mothers who deliver outside the health facilities, Namugeere said officials from the ministry will use verbal autopsy where the Village Health Team (VHTs) members will be deployed to Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) to find out if there has been any death.

She made the revelation during a meeting organised by the International Women Living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda at the Grand Imperial Hotel in Kampala.

At the same meeting participants from Buikwe hospital explained that the district has a challenge of transport for expectant mothers to reach the nearest health facilities.

"Mothers have to travel a distance of about 25km to get to the nearest health facility. The Community Mobilization and Networking Adviser UNAIDS Uganda, Sarah Nakku, said that UNAIDS in partnership with the World Health organization want to integrate communities in the aspect of Maternal, New-born and Child Health to reduce death in the districts.

Nakku said that for every death that occurs in the communities, the blame goes to the health workers, and added that they want to involve the residents to trace the routes of the mothers.

She said that UNAIDS and WHO identified Buikwe district which is near Kampala, but records the highest number of mother who die during and after delivery.

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