Ninety percent of women in Katakwi District attend antenatal care without their husbands, a trend raising concern among health authorities. Dr. Simon Ichumar Omeke, the District Health Officer, warned that men are missing critical opportunities to support their wives and benefit from free health services, including screenings for blood pressure, diabetes, and prostate cancer.
Dr. Omeke urged men to accompany their wives to antenatal visits, emphasizing that male involvement improves maternal and child health outcomes. He also cautioned men against extramarital affairs during pregnancy and breastfeeding, noting that sexually transmitted infections, particularly urinary tract infections, can increase the risk of miscarriage.
He stressed that women should consistently attend antenatal care, which allows for early detection and management of complications, encourages healthy behaviors, and provides vital support throughout pregnancy. “Antenatal care enables healthcare providers to identify gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and infections early, allowing timely intervention,” he said. “It also gives pregnant women guidance on nutrition, healthy lifestyles, and recognizing warning signs during pregnancy and childbirth.”
Antenatal care, he added, protects both mother and baby by screening for infections such as STIs, HIV, and malaria, and supports birth preparedness and emergency readiness. Early detection and management of maternal health issues also reduce risks for unborn children and help prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission.
Dr. Omeke called on employers and the Ministry of Health to extend paternity leave, noting that while women workers currently receive three weeks of maternity leave, men are only allotted four days. He proposed that extending this period would allow men to better support their partners during pregnancy and after childbirth.
