Uganda Health News: Kibaale mothers to get incentives for delivering at health facilities

By John Isingoma, Ultimate Media

Kibaale district mothers will starting February 2012 get incentives for heeding to a health requirement to deliver their babies at a health center.

The incentives courtesy of Infectious Diseases Institute is being implemented under a pilot project code named “saving mothers, giving life”.

According to the project coordinator Edward Kyagulanyi, every mother who will deliver at a health facility in the district will be given a mother’s kit, mosquito net, at least a kilo of sugar, nutritious foods such as soy flower and transport from and to her home.

This pilot project is to last 12 months and is expected to reduce maternal mortality rate by 50 percent in all the areas covered by the project.

Kyagulanyi reveals that in order to achieve the project’s ambitious targets, they will procure four ambulances, hire 14 medical doctors, 70 midwives, and other important staff to eliminate unnecessary excuses.

Currently, according to the acting District Medical Officer Doctor Timbihulira Godfrey, the maternal mortality rate in Kibaale stands at 450/100,000, while the fertility rate is 7.8 children per mother.

The District chairperson George William Namyaka appreciates the project calling it non-selective because it will cover all the 31 sub counties and 4 town councils in the district.