By Stephen Candia – Arua
Arua district persons living with HIV /AIDS (PHA’s) and civil society network (CSO’s) have demanded for an immediate action by the Government of Uganda to improve maternal and child services in the district to reduce on what they say is ‘an unacceptably high maternal deaths arising fro deliveries.
In a well attended advocacy get-together in remembrance of late Hon. Jennifer Anguko, a district woman councilor for Bileafe Sub County in Terego district, who died in Arua Regional referral Hospital during child birth, the over 200-members emphasized the historic constitutional court petition on maternal deaths and made a demand to end such deaths.
The late Anguko Jennifer died in Arua referral hospital in 2009 during labour while another pregnant woman also died in 2010 in Mityana hospitals during child birth.
The members clad in black ‘T’ shirts with the writing “End maternal deaths, we demand
for better services for pregnant mothers” cited among other challenges the following: segregation by some medical workers, drunkenness, some health workers extorting money on free drugs, absenteeism from work, wrong prescription of drugs by some health workers among others.
The RDC Arua Major Ibrahim Abiriga, the Medical Superintendent Dr. Oduu Bernard, Chief Administrative Officer, Mr Sam Ogenwroth, the newly sworn LC 5 Chairman Wadri Sam Nyakua, all failed to attend the function neither did they sent any representative.
The group urged government to increase health sector budget, train and employ more Doctors and Nurses. “The government should establish more health center fours and equip them fully for the mothers, our convergence here today should send a signal to the president as he forms his cabinet that he should give priority for the health sector” Mr. Kokole a member of PHA’s in Arua said.
It’s estimated that 16 pregnant women die in Ugandan hospitals every day, a trend that the activists say is worrying. END