It is very sad to see women continuously lose their lives due to their natural ability to get pregnant and give birth! Pregnancy and child birth are beautiful and are supposed to bring joy to a woman and her family. However to a significant number of women in Uganda, these aspects are a death sentence! The maternal mortality ratio stands at 336 deaths per 100,000 live births according to UDHS 2016, approximately 15 women dying per day due to complications arising from pregnancy and child birth. These cases soared high during the COVID19 lockdown as evidenced by various media reports. Some of those who survive death are faced with chronic and devastating complications such as fistula which push them to poor living standards.
Maternal death is defined by World Health Organization as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes. Approximately 75% of maternal death are caused by haemorrhage (severe bleeding mostly bleeding after childbirth), sepsis (infections usually after childbirth), pre eclampsia and eclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy), complications from delivery and unsafe abortion. The remaining 15 % is caused by indirect causes.
The persistent high maternal mortality rate in Uganda is also attributed to factors such as inaccessibility to health services, poor quality care at health centres and traditional birth attendants, poorly enumerated and unmotivated staff, lack of effective referral systems, inadequate essential medicines and equipment lack of information about pregnancy and child birth among others. We cannot put away comprehensive sexuality education to empower the women with vital information about issues like contraception to prevent the unwanted pregnancies in the first place.
There is wide advancement in technology and development in many aspects of human life like agriculture, medicine, commerce but unfortunately, less is seen when it comes to women’s access to sexual and reproductive health and rights. Most barriers to Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights faced by women are in terms of religion, cultural attitudes, and social pressure preventing action to save their lives.
Something must be done ranging from the government strengthening the health human resource systems, making equipment and medical supplies available in all health centres, encouraging antenatal care to detect pregnancy complications early enough to the community and individuals making sure that women and girls are empowered to make sound decisions when it comes to their reproductive health.
