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Kotido registered 37 maternal deaths from 20 September 2020 to 21 September 2021
Kotido, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kotido district has recorded the highest number of maternal deaths in Karamoja sub region for the last one year. The deaths have worried local leaders who are calling on the health workers to improve service delivery in order to save lives.
At least 39 maternal deaths have been recorded since September 2020, including 7 teenagers aged between 15-19, which is at 18% fatality rate.
Other districts from the region that recoded maternal deaths include Moroto with 4 deaths. Napak, Nakapiripirit, Kaabong registered one death each while Amudat did not register any case.
The Kotido hospital in charge, Abdalahi Muhammed Lomwar says the theater has not been functioning to full capacity because of inadequate equipment and personnel at work. He says the hospital management has embarked on making the theater functional in order to save lives.
Lomwar also notes that most referral cases to the facility come too late for the health workers to save. However, according to Lomwar, the number of maternal deaths is reducing as the hospital has developed a strategy to reduce maternal deaths by ensuring that there is a comprehensive health service delivery system coupled with 24 hour stand by doctors.
The Kotido biostatistician, Jim Owiny confirmed that the 37 deaths were recorded effective from 20 September, 2020, to 21 September, 2021, from various health facilities with maternal services.
The Kotido district chairperson Paul Komol Lote, says the district leadership is focusing on improving health service delivery, citing efforts to build and functionalize a theater at Kotido hospital. He said the leadership is also committed to ensuring that there is supportive supervision of health service delivery which is a priority to his leadership.
Irar Sabina, the female councilor for Kotido sub county and also Lokitela-ebu town council says it is unfortunate that mothers are still dying while giving birth to new life but said that the health department and political leaders are committed to reducing maternal deaths as soon as possible.
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