The Ministry of Health has allocated over 4,000 mama kits to 40 constituencies in the greater North and Bunyoro regions, thanks to a generous donation from the Parliamentary Forum on East African Community Affairs and Stanbic Bank Uganda. The primary aim of this initiative, as explained by Gladys Muchae, the Head of Credit, is to ensure that all women in the country have access to the necessary care during pregnancy and childbirth.

Under the banner of the Corporate Society for Safe Motherhood, a partnership has been established, and other corporate entities are encouraged to join hands to earnestly pursue SDG3. This goal seeks to reduce the maternal mortality rate to 70 per 1000 live births by the year 2030.

During the delivery of a truckload of these vital mama kits, Health State Minister in Charge of Primary Health Care, Hanifah Kawooya Bangirana, affirmed that the country is making significant progress in enhancing safe motherhood. She emphasized the need for action to match the dialogue, highlighting the current unacceptable figures for maternal and infant mortality. She stressed the importance of partnerships like these to bring down these alarming statistics.

Hon. Cyrus Aogon, a member of the Parliamentary Forum, lauded the bank for its generosity, emphasizing that corporate social responsibility is a key factor in determining the return on investment. He noted that such initiatives are integral to the bank’s success, and he urged against being miserly in such endeavors.

Sarah Nansikombi Lubega, Head of Women’s Banking, pointed out that many women lose their lives during childbirth due to preventable issues, such as the lack of mama kits.

The Uganda Health and Demographic Survey, as recently released by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, indicates a reduction in the maternal mortality ratio from 336/100,000 live births in 2016 to 189/100,000 in 2022.

END