About a month ago, Maria Chepsok, a Traditional Birth Attendant (TBA) in Karita sub-county lost her sister-in law due to complications during childbirth.
Matters were not helped by a lack of funds to fuel the ambulance at the nearest health centre, and later having to trek 24 kilometres into West Pokot in Kenya in a final desperate bid to save mother and child.
Karita Health Centre IV which is located in Karita town, Amudat District in the Karamoja sub-region, north eastern Uganda, continues to record maternal mortality rates above the national average.
Yet, while Uganda’s overall fertility rate has fallen to approximately four children per woman, Amudat and the broader Karamoja region record averages exceeding seven children. The centre serves more than 37,000 people across Amudat, neighboring districts, and communities from across the border in Kenya.
Dr. George Ogwang, the Karita Health Centre IV In-charge said, “In Karita we have the health facility in a very hard to reach place. Our distance from here to Moroto Regional Referral Hospital is about 210 kilometres. When we consider going to Mbale, it is about 164 kilometres. Going to Amudat Hospital is about 90 kilometres. It brings a lot of challenges when we are referring patients. Sometimes, it makes us also move across to Kacheliba Hospital in West Pokot Kenya which is about 24 kilometres only.”
Stanbic Bank has donated 200 Mama Kits, as well as an assortment of other medical supplies and equipment, including paying for the rehabilitation of the operating theatre, all worth UGX 96million.
The renovation and equipping of the theatre was made possible by Stanbic Bank, Ministry of Health, Doctors with Africa (CUAMM), Amudat District Local Government and others.
Chepsok said, “The delays we encountered on the way, and because of the absence of an operating theatre at Karita HC IV, unfortunately we couldn’t save the child and mother. My story is so similar among expectant mothers in the Karamoja sub region. If the theatre was operational by that time, perhaps my sister would have been saved, but thanks to Stanbic Bank that it’s now operational.”
Diana Ondoga, Manager CSI Stanbic Bank said,” We are not merely unveiling a new building, but opening doors to safer motherhood, improved healthcare outcomes, and renewed hope for thousands of families in this region who previously faced difficulties in accessing maternal health services”.
She said, “For many expectant mothers, access to quality maternal healthcare has often been limited by distance, inadequate facilities, and a shortage of specialized services. This new facility will help address these challenges by bringing critical maternal and surgical services closer to the people who need them most.”
Dr. Richard Mugahi, Commissioner for Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health, Ministry of Health said,” Through the collaboration between Stanbic, Doctors With Africa (CUAMM) ,Ministry of Health and other partners we are working to ensure that no mother, newborn, or child is left behind.”
Mugahi said,” We take this support very seriously. We know the impact the equipment is going to have in our mission to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths. Karita is one of the most remote and disadvantaged areas in the Karamoja region.”
Ondoga said, “No single institution can achieve meaningful development alone. Today’s achievement is the result of strong partnerships between Stanbic Bank, the Ministry of Health, Doctors with Africa CUAMM, Amudat District Local Government, MTN Uganda, and the people of this community.”
Uganda has reduced its maternal mortality ratio (MMR) to 189 deaths per 100,000 live births. However, the country needs to significantly accelerate this annual rate of decline from roughly 3.3% to nearly 6% to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of fewer than 70 deaths by 2030.
Dr. Ogwang said, “Now that we have a theatre in place and a laboratory, the number of critical staff should be increased. I request the Ministry of Health, the district authorities, and our dear partners to look at Karita as a special facility that needs real support.”
Esther Chepakori from Chebinyin village said, “I am very happy about the theatre, because many people have been experiencing difficulties when told they have to be referred somewhere else and fueling the ambulance.”
The health centre now offers general care services (Out-Patient Department), In-Patient, Antenatal, Maternity, Immunization, and Family Planning among others
