A Ugandan man did not have enough money to pay for his wife to give birth at a healthcare facility, so he decided to perform a C-section on her at their home. Tragically, the woman died that day (Imaka 1). Unfortunately, stories like this one are not too uncommon in Uganda. Many health centers are dirty, too small, understaffed, lack supplies, and any equipment it is often obsolete. There are many barriers to accessing quality care in Uganda, especially for mothers.
Maternal healthcare in Uganda is some of the worst in the world. In fact, the mother dies during one in every 200 births (Kelly 1). A big reason for this is birth and pregnancy complications. Maternal and perinatal complications account for more of Uganda’s diseases than any other …show more content…
Not seeking care contributes to Uganda’s high maternal and infant mortality rates. There are several reasons why women might not seek care. For instance, 86% of Ugandan women surveyed said that they have trouble accessing healthcare (Country briefing: Uganda 2). Main barriers these women face are financial issues and distance to health facilities. Unfortunately, many mothers lose their lives because they cannot access basic care.
Diseases put a big burden on Uganda’s health system, with curable and manageable diseases remaining main causes of death. Uganda is a very poor country with people only living to 57 years old on average (Sawaya et al. 2). Contagious diseases are a main factor in the short lifespan. One of those diseases is malaria. There are over 15 million malaria cases in Uganda each year, making it a leading cause of death (Imaka 2). Providing easy-to-access healthcare and vaccines could significantly improve this.
HIV is another big killer in Uganda. 6.4% of Ugandans have HIV/AIDs, and prostitution accounts for about 10% of it (Country Briefing: Uganda 2). Mothers passing along HIV to their infants is a big cause of new HIV cases in Uganda, even though antenatal care could stop this (Country briefing: Uganda 2). HIV, malaria, and other contagious diseases could be easily prevented if the right measures are
Maternal healthcare in Uganda is some of the worst in the world. In fact, the mother dies during one in every 200 births (Kelly 1). A big reason for this is birth and pregnancy complications. Maternal and perinatal complications account for more of Uganda’s diseases than any other …show more content…
Not seeking care contributes to Uganda’s high maternal and infant mortality rates. There are several reasons why women might not seek care. For instance, 86% of Ugandan women surveyed said that they have trouble accessing healthcare (Country briefing: Uganda 2). Main barriers these women face are financial issues and distance to health facilities. Unfortunately, many mothers lose their lives because they cannot access basic care.
Diseases put a big burden on Uganda’s health system, with curable and manageable diseases remaining main causes of death. Uganda is a very poor country with people only living to 57 years old on average (Sawaya et al. 2). Contagious diseases are a main factor in the short lifespan. One of those diseases is malaria. There are over 15 million malaria cases in Uganda each year, making it a leading cause of death (Imaka 2). Providing easy-to-access healthcare and vaccines could significantly improve this.
HIV is another big killer in Uganda. 6.4% of Ugandans have HIV/AIDs, and prostitution accounts for about 10% of it (Country Briefing: Uganda 2). Mothers passing along HIV to their infants is a big cause of new HIV cases in Uganda, even though antenatal care could stop this (Country briefing: Uganda 2). HIV, malaria, and other contagious diseases could be easily prevented if the right measures are