Africa-Press – Uganda. Following the surge in sexuality problems arising from the Covid-19 lockdown, group of over ten community health champions have been empowered to quickly respond to emergencies arising out of the same.
To that effect, community health advocates in five districts of Kyankwanzi, Gomba, Kiboga, Buikwe and Wakiso have been given motorcycles, grants among other enablers to ease their work in the communities.
“These are our community foot soldiers who are doing advocacy work at community levels. These are groups of people who have been grounded in issues of health on specific emphasis on sexual reproductive health and rights.” Francis Serujonji, the program manager, community empowerment program at Centre for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD).
When asked why they picked on the aforementioned selected districts, Mr Serujonji explained that some have high teenage pregnancies, high unsafe abortions, gender based violence, high rate of HIV infections and issues associated with slums like in Wakiso District.
Ms Sarah Nagawa, one of the community health advocates operating from Kiboga District, on Wednesday, expressed her joy for receiving motorcycles, computers and grants from CEHURD and Joint Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights that she said, will help in saving mothers who develop maternal health issues in the hard to reach areas.
“As I a health community advocate, I push for good health in our areas like Kiboga Town Council where I come from. We advocate for good health and rights from the village level to district. Today (Wednesday), we are very happy that we have received motorcycles which will be helping us to rush women to hospitals when they develop labour problems and in the process, save their lives,” Ms Nagawa explained.
Adding: “Previously, the people in the communities would approach us with emergencies, seeking our rescue but we didn’t have any easily available means of transport to rush to them to the nearest hospital for treatment and many would end up passing on.”
Uganda suffers a persistently high maternal mortality ratio currently at 336 per 100,000 live births which translates into 16 women dying every day during childbirth.
Lack of basic maternal health maternal health commodities like gloves, syringes, blood and medicines are the major causes of maternal deaths.
