Poor roads, lack of ambulances push mothers to Traditional Birth Attendants in Lira

25 July 2026, 5:07 pm

By Winnie Auma

Residents of Aromo subcounty in Lira District have blamed poor road infrastructure and inadequate emergency transport for the continued reliance on Traditional Birth Attendants, despite efforts to encourage mothers to deliver in health facilities.

Expectant mothers say accessing referral health facilities remains a major challenge, especially during emergencies.Grace Anyango, an expectant mother from Lela Dam A, Otara Parish, said while some complicated pregnancies are referred to Ogur Health Centre IV and other higher-level facilities, transportation is often unavailable.

She explained that many women are transported on bicycles or motorcycles over poor roads, exposing them to accidents and putting both mothers and unborn babies at risk.According to Anyango, the long distances to referral facilities and transport costs leave many women with no option but to seek the services of Traditional Birth Attendants.

Other women interviewed echoed similar concerns, saying many expectant mothers fear referral because they cannot afford transport, choosing instead to deliver at home.

Lira District Secretary for Health and female councillor representing Aromo subcounty, Joyce Amule, acknowledged that Traditional Birth Attendants are still being used in the area.She said Aromo Health Centre III has a small maternity ward that cannot adequately serve the growing number of expectant mothers seeking delivery services.

Combined with poor road conditions, this has continued to hinder access to skilled maternal healthcare.Amule said the district plans to improve key community roads, including the Auction–Angole, Apita, Corner Apua–Odoro and Otara–Odoro roads, to ease access to health facilities, schools and markets.

The Officer-in-Charge of Aromo Health Centre III, Betty Aciro, said the facility conducts between 80 and 120 deliveries every month. However, some women still avoid seeking medical care, while others refuse referrals to Ogur Health Centre IV and Lira Regional Referral Hospital when complications arise.

She said the health facility has intensified community sensitisation campaigns to encourage mothers to deliver at health facilities and to understand that referrals are intended to provide better specialised care and improve maternal and newborn survival.

To address the transport challenge, Erute North Member of Parliament Patrick Ongom, also known as Aregedeng, has donated an ambulance to serve the constituency.Ongom said the ambulance was procured after receiving repeated complaints from residents who struggled to reach referral health facilities because of poor roads and the lack of emergency transport.

Lira District LC5 Chairperson Richard Cox Max Okello Orik welcomed the donation, noting that the district previously had only one ambulance based in Amac Town Council in Erute South, leaving Erute North without emergency referral transport.

He said the new ambulance will help save lives by improving access to emergency medical care and urged residents to make proper use of the service.