KASESE LOSES 156 MOTHERS A YEAR

and Neonatal related complications.
According to Rose Kaggwa, the Programs Manager in-charge of Maternal,
Neonatal and Child Health at Save the Children Kasese branch, at least
13 mothers die every month in the district either during labour, soon
after giving birth few days after.
“Majority of them  die due to excessive bleeding, inadequate care and
lack of mass sensitization and knowledge about the importance of
seeking antenatal and medical care services by the pregnant women”,
Kagwa said.
She was speaking during a meeting of  the in-charges of Health centres
and sub-county Chiefs in Kasese district at Rwenzori International
Hotel in Kasese town on June 28th 2016.
Save the children in partnership with Kasese District Local
Government are  implementing a project on Maternal, Neonatal and Child
Health care  in the district aiming at increasing community
acceptance, support and demand for high impact interventions for
maternal, newborn and child health services.
The five year project is funded by  Save the Children Italy.
She urged the participants to improve the availability and quality of
Maternal Newborn and Child Health services at health facilities in the
district.
Abbey Kabuga, the branch Data Management officer said that the
organization plans to introduce Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health
program in primary schools so that the pupils can always remind their
expectant mothers on Antenatal care.
Confirming the report by Save the Children, the District Health
Officer, Dr. Yusuf Baseke said Maternal mortality was on the increase
in the district and encouraged the Health facility in-charges, the
members of Village Health Teams and local leaders to do massive
sensitization and educate the mothers about the dangers of using the
Traditional Birth Attendants.
Last year, the DHO’s office registered at least 33 mothers who died at
the hands of the Traditional Birth Attendants due to maternal related
complications.
Kasese district chairperson, Geoffrey Sibendire Bigogo noted with
concern reports that his district leads in maternal mortality rate
among the seven districts in the Rwenzori region pledging extensive
monitoring and sensitization to reverse the situation
Giving testimony about the absenteeism of Health workers at their work
places, the district Secretary for Social Services, Ruth Kabugho who
gave birth two weeks ago, testified that she was bounced at a Health
center after being told that the facility does not operate on
weekends.
“I decided to go to a private Health facility to give birth but
supposing I did not have the money to do so, what would have
happened”, Kabugho who declined to name the Health centre where she
was bounced questioned.
Kabugho also complained that some Midwives were hostile to expectant
mothers but encouraged them to show kindness saying many expectant
mothers fear to deliver at the government owned Health facilities due
to the unfriendly conduct of the worker.
The Assistant Chief Administrative Officer in-charge of
administration, Johnson Mutungwanda confirmed the absenteeism by some
health workers and stealing of medical assortments.
Mutungwanda urged the health workers to observe the professional
ethics while executing their assigned duties at their respective work
place.
Earlier, the participants especially the health facility In-charges
complained about delay in the supply of maternal medical equipments at
their respective health centers