Luwero registers decline in maternal mortality rates

Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The number of women dying while giving birth in health centers has noticeably declined in Luwero district, a health report has revealed.

According to Luwero District Health Department Performance report, nine women died while giving birth in health centers in the financial year 2021/22. This was a decline from 15 women that died while giving birth in 2020/21 and 17 women who lost lives in 2019/20.

The report also indicates that the neonatal mortality rate declined to 40 from 57 recorded in the financial year 2020/21.

The report further indicates that more women also gave birth in health centers. At least 22,649, over the expected 22,515 deliveries were registered in health centers during the year 2021/22.

The district also achieved 105.17% of women who sought antenatal care in health centers. But the number of children under one year that were fully immunized declined to 81.9% from 99.0% in 2020/21.

Dr. Innocent Nkonwa, the Luwero District Health Officer says that the district achieved its target of ensuring 85 percent of women in the district give birth in health centres by end of 2021/22 and reduce maternal deaths.

Nkonwa says that this is due to improvement in infrastructure, recruitment of more staff and close supervision as a result of the introduction of the grants-for-results-based financing programme. Currently, Luwero district boasts of 674 health workers and support staff on payroll.

Nkonwa however noted that they will continue to implement strategies to completely eliminate maternal deaths and ensure that at least 90% of women give birth in health centers in the year 2022/23.

“We need to increase space in health centers and ensure we get timely delivery of medical supplies from National Medical Stores,” Nkonwa said.

Among the women who died while giving birth at Luwero hospital is Susan Nanfuma, aged 30, who checked in at Luwero hospital on Friday, February 25th, 2022 with labour pains. However, doctors pronounced her dead around 10pm on the following night after delivery by C-section.

Luwero hospital administrators blamed the death on the absence of blood group 0 negative, which is a rare type that was needed for transfusion after the cesarean operation.

Another woman, Specioza Nabasinga, 36, a resident of Kakabala village also died at Luwero hospital in January within the year under review.

The bereaved family claimed that she died because of their failure to raise 200,000 Shillings which the hospital claimed was needed to buy essential medical supplies after NMS delayed delivering them.

Ritah Nalweyiso, the district councilor for Butuntumula sub-county also asked the department to address concerns of extortion by the health workers.

Nalweyiso alleges that some health workers still ask for money from mothers to buy medical supplies from private pharmacies and work on them.

“Such acts of extortion may force the women to go back to traditional birth attendants or private clinics with less qualified staff, so let us consolidate the achievements and address the remaining challenges,” Nalweyiso said.

Luwero district has been placed in 18th position in health rankings and Luwero hospital is ranked 15th across the country.

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