State Minister for Primary Health Care Charles Ayume has urged Ugandan mothers, particularly those in the corporate sector, to make greater use of antenatal, postnatal and neonatal healthcare services as the country works to reduce maternal and newborn deaths.
The minister said Uganda has made notable progress in reducing maternal mortality but warned that preventable deaths remain unacceptably high because many women still fail to seek timely medical care.
Ayume made the remarks while launching the annual 21 Days of Y’ello Care campaign, MTN Uganda’s employee volunteer initiative that mobilises staff, technology and infrastructure to improve maternal and newborn healthcare in underserved communities. He noted that although the government continues to face human resource challenges in the health sector, significant investments have been made to improve health infrastructure across the country.
Ayume cited the Mulago Specialised Women and Neonatal Hospital as one of the facilities that remains underutilised because many mothers are unaware of the specialised services it offers. He partly blamed the management of Mulago National Referral Hospital for failing to adequately publicise the facility.
The minister also warned that the government will take action against health workers who neglect their duties, especially those absent from work despite improved investments in health facilities. He cited a recent incident in Koboko where a woman had to be referred to Arua Regional Referral Hospital because no health worker was available to attend to her despite the necessary equipment being in place.
Ayume said improving neonatal healthcare will be one of his key priorities, noting that Uganda has increased the number of specialist neonatologists from five to 15 following the recent graduation of new doctors.
According to official statistics, Uganda’s maternal mortality ratio has fallen from 336 deaths per 100,000 live births a decade ago to 189. However, this remains well above the Sustainable Development Goal target of fewer than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.
Neonatal mortality currently stands at 22 deaths per 1,000 live births, compared to the global target of 12. Ayume attributed the continued deaths to delays at three levels: delays by patients in seeking care, delays within the health system and infrastructure, and delays at health facilities themselves.
To improve access to healthcare, Ayume said the government is prioritising the construction and equipping of Health Centre IIIs and will now place greater emphasis on upgrading Health Centre IVs, arguing that these facilities are less costly to establish than hospitals while serving larger populations closer to communities.
The minister also appealed to Ugandans to support pending legislation aimed at strengthening maternal healthcare, including the Assisted Reproductive Therapy Bill and the Uganda Organ Donation and Transplant Bill. He said Uganda currently lacks laws regulating surrogacy and organ donation, although the practices continue because of existing demand. He stressed that surrogacy should only be undertaken for genuine medical reasons rather than personal preference.
Ayume called on development partners and the private sector to complement government efforts in improving healthcare services. Daniel Alemu, Deputy Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), commended Uganda’s progress in reducing maternal and child mortality but urged the country to intensify efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.
The 21 Days of Y’ello Care campaign will run until August 21 and will bring together MTN employees, the Ministry of Health, district local governments, healthcare workers and community partners to improve maternal and child health services. MTN said some activities have been scaled down because of the ongoing Ebola outbreak in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, as health authorities prioritise surveillance and emergency preparedness.
This year’s campaign will support four public health facilities: Kibiito Health Centre IV in Bunyangabu District, Maddu Health Centre IV in Gomba District, Kiyunga Health Centre IV in Luuka District and Karita Health Centre IV in Amudat District. The interventions will include community health camps, maternal and child health awareness campaigns, training for health workers, digital health initiatives and upgrades to healthcare infrastructure.
MTN MoMo Uganda Managing Director Phrase Lubega said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to improving lives through technology and partnerships. “At MTN Uganda, we believe that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life. That belief goes beyond providing connectivity; it is about leveraging our people, platforms and partnerships to support solutions that improve lives and create meaningful impact in communities,” Lubega said.
