David Mafabi
5 September 2008
Bukwo — Eighty nine per cent of expectant mothers in Bukwo District deliver at home with the assistance of traditional birth attendants, a health sector report presented by the District Health Officer, Dr Michael Mwanga has revealed.
This means that only 11 per cent of the mothers deliver at health centres with the help of the qualified medical staff.
"Given the remoteness of Bukwo , the deliveries in the government health facilities are still low in the district," Dr Mwanga said.
"Only 223 expectant mothers delivered in health facilities under qualified medical staff, last year." He was on Wednesday speaking to Daily Monitor at his office on the health status of Bukwo ever since it was elevated to a district a year-and-a half ago.
He said although health centres IIs and IIIs have been constructed and the health department has about 55 per cent of the established medical staff posts filled, the district has only one doctor [himself] who doubles as the District Health Officer.
Dr Mwanga said although the out-patients department utilisation in the district stood at 58 per cent, there are still low numbers of mothers attending family planning due to traditional ties.
He said the number of the mothers who attend antenatal services at the health units stands at about eight per cent because of high levels of illiteracy and ignorance, remoteness of the district, poor infrastructure due to the terrain of the district and it has also impacted negatively on total deliveries at the government health.
The LC5 chairman, Mr Reuben Chelimo, urged district leaders sensitise residents about the importance of delivering in health centres.
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