The Ugandan Ministry of Health (MOH) recently recognized URC’s significant role in making pregnancy and childbirth safer for Uganda’s moms.
The USAID Uganda Health Activity (UHA), led by URC, was acknowledged as Uganda’s best maternal and child health partner of the year and received an award for “Outstanding Contribution to Safe Motherhood” at the 4th National Safe Motherhood Conference, held from October 29-31 in Kampala.
Declines in Pregnancy- and Childbirth-related Mortality
Uganda has made strides toward improving maternal health outcomes as fewer mothers are dying from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth. At the conference, Dr. Richard Mugahi, MOH Commissioner in Charge of Reproductive and Infant Health, reported that institutional maternal deaths dropped by 8% between July 2023 and June 2024.
UHA’s robust support of the MOH and other partners has played an important role in making motherhood safer. From December 2022 to September 2024, the Activity’s interventions contributed to a 12% drop in maternal deaths and a 7% increase in health facility deliveries across 71 districts and five cities.
“USAID UHA has been essential to improving the health and well-being of mothers and children in Uganda,” said Dr. Mugahi. “This award demonstrates UHA’s leadership on maternal and child health in the country.”
Quality of Care Improvements, Mentorship, Collaboratives Prove Effective
UHA takes a comprehensive approach to improving the survival and health of mothers, newborns, and children. The approach focuses on strengthening health systems through capacity building, training community health workers, and improving care in health facilities.
UHA also promotes partnerships with local governments and communities, ensuring sustainable improvements in maternal and child health outcomes in underserved areas of the country.
UHA’s maternal and newborn health activities include:
- Improving access to and quality of antenatal, maternity, and postnatal care including better management of pregnancy and childbirth complications;
- Providing training and mentorship to hundreds of health workers, making sure they have the skills needed to prevent maternal and newborn deaths;
- Expanding high-risk pregnancy collaboratives, which are regional networks of providers working to improve care for moms with high-risk pregnancies. For example, collaborative members team up to identify high-risk mothers early in their pregnancies and connect them with the specialized care they need; and
- Improving health seeking behaviors such as encouraging mothers to get health care during the first trimester of pregnancy and to deliver their babies in health facilities.
UHA will continue to foster collaboration between health care providers and communities to provide Uganda’s mothers and newborns with the care they need to live healthy lives.
