The Ministry of health in partnership with UNFPA and MTN foundation on Thursday 12th 2019 briefed the media on the progress of plans to implement maternal health projects with funds collected from the 2018 MTN Kampala and regional Marathons. The funds are being used to complement efforts by the ministry of Health to improve service delivery in 5 health centres IVs facilities across Uganda.
The MTN foundation allocated has made a hefty donation of UGX1.33 billion towards addressing the critical challenge of ending or reducing the number of Ugandan mothers who die while giving birth.
Data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicates that Uganda is one of the countries with the highest number of women still dying in labour. Global Health Corps, an organisation that tracks country performances on health, shows that up to 310 women out of every 100,000 pregnant mothers die due to pregnancy-related complications.
Health experts also note that the country has made little progress and actually failed to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of halving the maternal deaths by 2015. The MDG goal had its target of reducing deaths to 253 since by the base year 2000, there were as many as 506 deaths per 100,000 women.
MTN Foundation officials say that they raised UGX600m from the 2018 MTN marathan. They supplemented the proceeds to make UGX1.33bn that they have made available to the Ministry of Health to use to refurbish and equipping theatres and labour-wards of five health centre Ivs in Uganda. The beneficiary facilities are; Muyembe HC IV in Bulambuli district, Pakwach HC IV in Pakwach district, Kalangala HC IV in Kalangala district, Karugutu HC IV in Ntoroko district and Kawempe women and children hospital in Kampala.
The Minister of Health Jane Ruth Aceng,hailed MTN’s donation towards improving health infrastructure and supplies, including life-saving machines and equipment. She said the donation will enhance the provision of quality services and subsequently contribute to the reduction of material and newborn deaths.
The General Manager Corporate services at MTN Uganda, Enid Edroma said: “We are concerned about the high maternal mortality rate that we see in our country, together with our partners, we have committed to support the government of Uganda in extending such services to the communities where they are needed most.”
She noted that MTN is committed to contribute even more out of this year’s edition of the MTN Marathon.
