Health Journalists Network in Uganda (HEJNU) Media Café on Post Abortion Care Up take in Masaka held at Court Lane Hotel in Masaka city on 12th February 2026.
The Science Café Day
On Thursday 12th February 2026, HEJNU Masaka Region coordinators Malik Fahad Jjingo and Davis Buyondo convened a half day media science café for journalists operating in the over 10 districts that make up Masaka region.
The highly attended engagement attracted over 21 journalists working for various media outlets including online publishers, radio, television and newspapers among other media platforms that have passion for health and science reporting.
In attendance was, Masaka District Health Office Dr. Faith Nakiyimba, Social Scientist, a peer educator and Bukeri health center iii in charge Msw. Dymphna Nagawa, Bukakata Health iii in charge Dr. Alex a former PAC user youth and Masaka Bureau Chief among other guests.
The science café discussed several other things ranging from what entails in PAC where these services can be accessed, cost and misconceptions that come with abortions among other things.
The Panelists/Guests:
➢ Dr. Alex Mumbere Bukakata health center iii
➢ Dr Faith Nakiyimba Masaka District DHO
➢ Msw. Social Scientist, Dympnah Nagwa
➢ Cathy Namuwawu PAC user
➢ Al Mahad Ssenkabirwa Buerue chief Masaka
➢ Shamimu Nankya – Raptourer
The Journalists:
| Name | Media House |
| Robert Nsubuga | UBC/Maska City tv |
| Milly Naiga | Spancia FM |
| Emily Nakasita | CBS Emanduso |
| Patience Ampere | Buyamba FM |
| Matia Ssebufu | Radio Buddu |
| Davis Buyondo | New Vision |
| Nicholas Ssekitende | CBS FM |
| Olivia Namawejje | Radio 8 |
| Farish Magembe | NBS |
| Getrude Mutyaba | Spark TV |
| Derrick Jjuko | CBS Emanduso |
| Matilda Nabukalu | Spancia FM |
| Ezekiel Ssekweyama | URN |
| Muzafal Nsubuga | CBS 88.8 |
| John Bosco Sseruwu | Bukedde |
| Zainab Namusazi | Nile Post |
| Marym Nanyanzi | TMTM |
| Denis Kawooya | Centenary FM |
| Bonny Kizza | Bukedde TV |
Malik and Davis welcomed the participants and the speakers to the café and briefed the gathering about the activities of HEJNU and asked the journalists to produce stories out of the meeting as it is their key role they can play in the fight against mothers that still dies as a result of abortions and the availability of PAC services in their locality.
Presentations
The first presentation was made by the Masaka District Health Officer, Faith Nakiyimba who explained that PAC services are a game changer to the challenge of people that are still die as a result of abortion.
Dr Nakiyimba gave the gathering the state of affairs in masaka district in which she shared statistics of the nurmbers of people enrolled in various health facilities to PAC after experiencing these abortions.
She noted that last year (2025) the district reported 91 cases of abortions, according to the data they collected from various public health facilities in the district though she was afraid that the nurmbers could be quite higher than that since some don’t get to health facilities at all as others seek PAC services from private health facilities.
Dr. Nakiyimba said that 91cases of abortions registered in the district in 2025, surprisingly, more than three-quarters of the reported cases were among adolescents aged 15-19. She attributed the growing cases of unintended pregnancies that result in abortions to high cases of sexual gender-based violence cases in the district.
She also noted that 33 percent of the cases that were reported had to be admitted to hospitals to receive post abortion care for various reasons, ranging from overbreeding to other complications.
Dr. Nakiyimba however, asked members of the public to always seek post abortion care from qualified health workers since the services are available and provided for free in public facilities.
During her presentation she also described the five elements of PAC which includes treatment and management of incomplete abortions and complications, counselling, contraceptives and family planning services, reproductive health and other health services.
She also hinted on community and service provider partnerships that have been put in place to prevent complications that come with unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortion.
She explained that perceived barriers in health facilities, ranging from long wait times, poor provider attitudes, and sometimes stigma significantly influence women’s intentions to seek post abortion care. (PAC).
“Lack of service confidentiality and unavailability of equipment specific to abortion were the two most reported barriers that would prevent women from seeking PAC in our facilities, save the other challenges of inaccessibility due to poor roads, poor mode, lack of transport fares, long distances to the health facilities long waiting cues and discrimination”. She added.
The second presentation by Bukeeri health center iii in charge, a social scientist Dympnah Nagawa was coined of further understanding PAC what entails in PAC addressing attitudes and knowledge gaps and their effects towards uptake of PAC In Masaka.
Nagawa explained that systemic gaps in infrastructure, workforce and policy also play a big role in limiting access and uptake of PAC saying that they should be looked into if the uptake of PAC is to increase in the masaka region.
She also raised concern of the fact that abortions are legally restrictive and shrouded in social -religious stigma which she said that sometimes also makes people fear even to access PAC for either fearing for being incriminated or how society will perceive them saying that these attitudes require strong media campaigns to do massive sensitization of masses in the country.
Nagawa explained that all forms of abortions come with complications which makes it important for the person that has experienced abortion whether induced or spontaneous to always seek post abortions care.
She said that the PAC cares come in various forms ranging from counseling, medical and emotional support provided to a person after a miscarriage, (spontaneous or induced)
To protect the persons health management and control of blood flow and loss is key in post abortion care which makes it a must for whoever gets an abortion to visit a health facility to avoid the challenges that comes with blood loss that come with abortion.
She explained that in medical management of the patient they not only manage bleeding but also infections that may come with bleeding, and remove incomplete abortion in case the termination of the pregnancy is incomplete.
“Management of pain and monitoring of vital organs, conducting surgery, if necessary, among other things are some of the key issues that are done by the health worker while offering PAC to women that come for this service in health centers”. She added.
Nagawa further highlighted to journalists that the provided also involves counseling and emotional support that comes with the PAC which involves addressing feelings and confusion that comes with abortion which sometimes causes depression that sometimes develop into mental illness.
She said that sometimes they are prompted to referring patients to mental health specialists for specialized treatment when situations worsen.
“We also counsel someone seeking PAC on contraception options, we advise people on available options and those that agree on options that are provided at birth are given, to reduces on chances of getting another unintended pregnancy and those that prefers other methods are also advised accordingly”. She added.
Nagawa noted that knowledge gaps about PAC and what it entails greatly hinder uptake of PAC since women are not aware of what to do and it becomes had to make decision and also affects health seeking behaviors among communities adding that this challenge needs to be worked on because it has left a big number of lives that would have been saved lost because people bleed to death in their homes without seeking medical services.
She however called upon men to join the fight against maternal deaths by supporting their wives all the time through and after pregnancy if the region is to address the challenge of maternal deaths and other related problems.
PAC user Annet not her real names intimated to the journalist how her husband asked her not to get pregnant until their child could make five years and she accidentally got pregnant in the daughter’s 3rd year.
She disclosed to her close friend who advised her to use local herbs to conduct an abortion which went wrong and they struggled with the incomplete abortion to the extent of almost losing her life and she was saved by another friend who advised her to go to the hospital for PAC after spending a lot of time on herbs which did not help her.
Al Mahad Ssenkabirwa , discussed with the journalists some of the story ideas they can get out of the topics which were discussed by the speakers and applauded HEJNU and its partners that powers the science cafés saying that continuous engagements of journalists with scientist not only creates good relations between the two groups but also gives journalist a chance of having experts they can run to address the challenge of false and miss information about several studies conducted by researchers
Stories from Masaka Media Cafe
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https://x.com/i/status/2022291445277663369 https://www.youtube.com/live/aWHMJXRd0D8?si=8VosKdOhLhyrBbI8
Compiled by Malik Fahad Jjingo
