Supporting Maternal Health in Uganda
“The [current] health centre has limited staff, beds and when mothers come in big numbers some are forced to sleep on the floor while others are sent back to look for other clinics.”
Lukaya Town, Uganda
Lukaya, Uganda, is located in the Central region of Uganda, not far from the edge of Lake Victoria. Unfortunately, like elsewhere in Uganda, pregnant women in Lukaya choose not to use the local health facility to deliver their babies. Although delivering in a health facility with skilled health providers can make the critical difference between survival and death for both mother and child, in 2016, more than 25% of pregnant women did not deliver in a health facility in Uganda.
The reasons for this are numerous and complicated, however, the main concerns cited all point to a lack of confidence in the existing health care facility.
“The health centre has limited staff, beds and when mothers come in big numbers some are forced to sleep on the floor while others are sent to look for other clinics,” one dissatisfied mother told.
“The existing structure is too small for the services provided, the structure houses maternity admissions, Ante-Natal Clinic, Delivery room, laboratory, and staff room; we are too squeezed in this structure,” narrated a staff member.
“We rarely get opportunities to augment our skills by way of refresher skills training,” states another staff member.
In response to these concerns, the Rotary Club of Lukaya, the Rotary Club of Slippery Rock, PA, and ARDF are raising funds to expand the maternal health clinic.
ARDF and the Rotary Club of Slippery Rock are playing only a small role in this project. This is part of a much larger effort to support the people of Lukaya. In addition to the expanded maternity unit, the entire plan includes the purchase of an ambulance, the installation of a solar power system, new staff quarters, and augmented staff training.
You can join these efforts to bring meaningful change to the women and families of Lukaya Town.
ARDF is matching up to $10,000 towards this project. Help us meet this goal to provide a total of $20,000 towards this project.
Kenneth Bennett is available to talk to churches and individuals about this project. If you want to learn more, email Ken.
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