Uganda: Reduce death of newborn babies

Article originally published by New Vision

Save the Children has commissioned a three year project to cost sh750 million to be implemented in partnership to reduce the death of new born babies.

“It is unacceptable that 121 newborn babies and 16 mothers continue to die every day in Uganda, from causes, most of which are preventable. No child is born to die and no woman should die while giving birth”, acting director of Save the Children Diane Francisco said.

Diane said there is need to strengthen the capacity of health workers to care for newborn babies with breathing complications, identify and address causes of maternal death and improve the process of monitoring progression of labor and child birth.

Diane was presiding the handover of health equipment donated by Save the Children to the Nakaseke Hospital on Monday in Nakaseke district. Among the equipment was the first oxygen lifesaving machine.

The project will be implemented in partnership with the Nakaseke Hospital over the next three years. Save the Children and the central region districts of Luwero, Nakasongola and Nakaseke, is to address maternal and newborn health, dates back to 2007 when it initiated.

Access Project for young Infants (HAPI) is a project equipped Community Health volunteers and health workers at lower level health facilities with skills to provide quality Newborn health services.

She noted that Save the Children initiated global campaign called “The Every One ” campaign, aimed at reducing Maternal and Child Mortality in countries which are most in-need, in line with their commitments and aspirations to the Millennium Development Goals.

The HAPI project is to strengthen the capacity of referral health facilities, in Nakaseke Hospital, to provide specialized health services for newborn babies who are sick and those with complications at birth.

So far, we have  trained health workers to provide newborn health services. We have also provided ongoing support supervision to health workers in delivery of these services.

Save the Children has also supported the hospital to establish a care unit for babies with low birth weight and a neonatal unit for sick newborn babies.