Health officials in Pader District have intensified efforts to encourage pregnant women to eat nutritious foods and attend antenatal care services following the introduction of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS), a new intervention to improve maternal and child health.
The renewed awareness campaign comes amid concerns that poor nutrition during pregnancy continues to contribute to complications such as anemia, low birth weight, premature births, and stillbirths. Health workers and community leaders raised concerns about ways of helping expectant mothers access accurate information, nutrition support, and antenatal care services.
Ambrose Ongwech, a maternal and child health expert in Pader District, said many women still struggle to meet the nutritional demands that come with pregnancy despite the critical role nutrition plays in the health of both mother and child. He explained that proper nutrition supports the growth and development of the unborn baby while also helping mothers remain healthy throughout pregnancy.
“The baby depends entirely on the mother for growth and development. Good nutrition during pregnancy supports brain development, bone formation, and the overall health of the unborn child,” Ongwech said.
He further encouraged women to begin antenatal care visits early, saying health facilities provide nutrition counselling and supplements that help reduce risks during pregnancy. Ongwech also raised concerns over misinformation surrounding the newly introduced supplements.
According to him, some community members have mistaken the tablets for antiretroviral drugs because of similarities in packaging, creating fear among some expectant mothers. Health officials appealed to religious leaders, cultural leaders, and other influential community members to help share accurate information and encourage mothers to seek services from health facilities.
Sulah Kaggwa, a Social Behaviour Change Officer at the Ministry of Health, said the government is working with partners, including the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), to raise awareness about the supplements across the Acholi Sub-region.
Kaggwa explained that MMS replaces the iron and folic acid tablets traditionally given to pregnant women. The supplements contain additional vitamins and minerals needed during pregnancy and are expected to help reduce cases of anemia, low birth weight, premature births, and stillbirths.
He said poor nutrition remains one of the leading challenges affecting maternal and child health. “When a pregnant mother is not eating well, it affects both her health and the development of the baby. That is why nutrition should be taken seriously throughout pregnancy,” Kaggwa said.
According to the 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, about 38 percent of pregnant women aged 15 to 49 years are anemic, while only 37.1 percent of women make their first antenatal care visit within the first four months of pregnancy.
The concerns mirror remarks made by Dr. Charles Olaro at the launch of the national Nutrition for All campaign, in which he noted that many Ugandans remain malnourished despite having enough food. He attributed the problem largely to inadequate dietary diversity. Health officials believe improving maternal nutrition and encouraging early antenatal attendance will go a long way in reducing preventable pregnancy complications and giving babies a healthier start in life-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
