Journalists urged to prioritise reporting on maternal health

15 August 2024, 10:05 am

By Byamukama Alozious

As Uganda continues to face challenges in maternal mortality, journalists are being urged to prioritise maternal health in their reporting. Statistics show that 12 mothers die every day in Uganda, despite a slight decrease from 16 deaths in 2016.

To address this issue, the Save the Mother Organisation East Africa, under Uganda Christian University Mukono, has partnered with the Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) to train health journalists on maternal health. Twenty health journalists from various media houses received training in maternal health, where they were informed about the factors contributing to maternal deaths during childbirth.

Dr. Mushin Nsubuga, Director of the Save the Mother Organisation East Africa, stated that the factors contributing to maternal deaths include delays at home due to a lack of attention, environmental and cultural barriers, delays during transportation to health facilities, and limited care at the health facilities.

The Save the Mother East Africa Organisation is also offering a Master’s in Public Health programme with a focus on leadership. This two-year course is designed for bachelor’s degree holders and trains individuals from various professional disciplines in public health, including maternal health and safe delivery.

Dr. Nsubuga emphasised that the organisation works closely with the Ministry of Health and is active in many health facilities to save mothers’ lives. By prioritising maternal health in their reporting, journalists can play a crucial role in raising awareness about this critical issue and advocating for change.