Many mothers all over Uganda continue to give birth to children with spina bifida and hyrocephalus. Research has shown that 70% of these impairments can be prevented by increased intake of folic acid supplementation, eating food rich in folic acid like fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, meat, and liver, among others and eating foods that have been fortified with folic acid.

Women with children living with hydrocephalus and spina bifida know it very well that 95% of pregnancies are not planned for and this brings in the importance of taking a folic acid tablet a day to prevent some of these birth defects.

The parents through their stakeholders have tried to raise awareness and urge mothers to eat food rich in folic acid and swallow a folic acid tablet every day.

However, the issues of fortification require a law to be passed on mandatory food fortification so that it becomes a law that can be implemented by all the industries. This will make the majority of the population enjoy foods rich in folic acid and other preventive methods can compliment it. This will help to greatly reduce the prevalence rate like the case has been in South Africa and many other countries that have mandatory food fortification.

I would also request for the improvement in the health care system because many children acquire hydrocephalus at birth because of poor health service delivery. If more attention is paid to children and mothers at birth, then we shall register fewer cases of hydrocephalus,

The cost of treatment is far greater than the cost of prevention. Spina bifida and hydrocephalus patients require long life care which is very expensive compared to the preventive methods. It is our appeal that we all join hands to reduce the increase in number

of children born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus through massive sensitization in the media and enacting a law on compulsory food fortification like other countries have done.

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