A three-year Maternal Health Project has been launched in Hoima to help improve lives of expectant and new mothers in the district.
Hoima is one of the districts with the highest maternal mortality ratio with 435 mothers out of every 100,000 dying while giving birth. Moses Mukuru, the project Monitoring and Evaluation Officer says this high maternal mortality rate is the major pushing factor for the project in Hoima.
Mukuru, who presented preliminary findings on the maternal health situation in Hoima, says 29% of mothers in Hoima do not know about maternal health services and where to find them.
He says the project will work with health centers to increase community awareness on maternal health services through enhancing proper engagement between the service providers and those in need of the service.
The project targets people of child bearing age and it will be implemented in the two hard to reach sub counties of Kabwoya and Kiziranfumbi. The project is being implemented in eight other districts in the country.
Uganda Health Users/Consumers Organization is the project implementer with funding from the Swedish International Development Agency-SIDA.
Dr Joseph Ruyonga, the Hoima district Health Officer says his department has been overwhelmed by the high maternal mortality rates. Ruyonga says most maternal mortality cases are registered in the hard to reach sub counties adding that the project comes at the right time.
George Bagonza Tinkamanyire, the district Chairman who officiated at the launch of the project, pledged the district’s commitment to ensuring the project success.
Bagonza, however, challenged the project implementers to duel much on enhancing customer care among the maternal health service providers. He says lack of care is the reason mothers evade health centers and run to traditional birth attendants.
