First Lady and Minister for Karamoja Affairs Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni has thanked Amref Health Africa for their dedication and support towards efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality in Uganda. This happened in a meeting at State House Nakasero where a delegation from Amref Health Africa in Uganda called on her to discuss reducing maternal and child mortality in Uganda.
She advised Amref to focus on instilling professionalism and ethical behaviour in the midwives they train so as to get a better cadre of people who will contribute to the maternal and child health campaign. She also called on all the health profession training institutions in the country to establish rural community training programmes for their students, saying this will contribute to changing their attitude of serving in rural areas on completion of the courses.
The team from Amref was led by the Organization’s Advisory Council Chairperson Prof. George Kirya and included the Country Director for Amref Health Africa in Uganda Abenet Leykun Berhanu, Dr. Jessica Nsungwa Sabiiti, Assistant Commissioner Child Health-Ministry of Health and Dr. Jesca Jitta Director Child Health Development Centre-Old Mulago who are also Advisory Council Members. Amref has so far trained over 500 midwives in Uganda and introduced the solar-suitcase technology which has facilitated increase in safe child deliveries.
Maternal mortality rates in Uganda have improved from 410 deaths per 100,000 live births in a year in 2010 to 360 in 2013.
