Expectant mothers and health workers at Kirumba Health Centre III in Kyotera District can now access expanded maternity and neonatal care following the commissioning of a new specialised unit equipped with modern medical equipment.
The Shs521 million facility was constructed by the Babies and Mothers Alive (BAMA) Foundation in partnership with the Rotary Club of Kampala Muyenga Breeze to strengthen maternal and newborn healthcare services in the area. The investment has expanded maternity and antenatal care space and added a neonatal intensive care unit, an ultrasound scanner, baby incubators and warmers, three delivery beds, 12 admission beds and solar power installations.
Dr Stephen Mugera, the in-charge of Kirumba Health Centre III, said the facility had for years struggled with limited maternity space and inadequate equipment, affecting the quality and privacy of care offered to mothers. “This is a very exciting moment for our people. The limited maternity space has affected how we provide care, particularly the privacy and environment we can offer mothers. We receive many women for antenatal care, but some go elsewhere to deliver, and we believe the condition of the maternity space has been one of the reasons,” Mugera said.
He said the additional space, equipment and reliable power would help restore mothers’ confidence in the facility and encourage more women to deliver there. Mugera said the health centre had previously operated with only one old delivery bed, while premature babies born at the facility had to be referred to Kaliisizo Hospital, about 20 kilometres away.
He said the referrals exposed newborns and mothers to additional risks and complications associated with transporting premature babies after delivery. Dr Edward Muwanga, the Kyotera District Health Officer, said the investment would strengthen the district’s ability to improve maternal and newborn health by enhancing health-system readiness and the quality of care.
He said the facility and equipment were the third of their kind in Kyotera District and would serve a population of more than 275,000 people. Muwanga said the new maternity and neonatal facilities would address longstanding space and equipment shortages while matching the resources at the health centre with the needs of its growing catchment area.
Records from 2020 to 2021 show that Kirumba Health Centre III recorded 553 first antenatal care visits, 622 deliveries and 678 postnatal attendances, placing significant pressure on the available space. Dr Daniel Murokora, Executive Director of BAMA Foundation, said the project followed a community needs assessment conducted after the organisation began working in Rakai and Kyotera districts in 2015.
He said the assessment identified gaps in maternal and newborn healthcare and prompted the organisation to seek partners to support efforts to address them. Murokora said the project was designed to tackle structural barriers that limit access to quality maternal and newborn healthcare, particularly in rural communities.
Meanwhile, Dr Richard Kabanda, Commissioner for Health Promotion at the Ministry of Health, who commissioned the project, challenged district leaders and health workers to ensure that the new infrastructure and equipment translate into better maternal and newborn health outcomes.
The new facility is expected to reduce referrals, improve access to essential maternity and neonatal services, and strengthen the capacity of Kirumba Health Centre III to serve mothers and newborns in Kyotera District-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
