Evelyn Lirri
18 September 2008
A new drug that can stop women from bleeding after birth has been introduced in Uganda. Health Minister Stephen Mallinga said the drug called Misoprostol, will help in preventing women from bleeding after birth, which he said is the leading cause of maternal mortality in Uganda.
"Misoprostol tablet is free of charge and already available. It will be given to mothers who have heavy bleeding after birth," said Dr Mallinga, who is also a gynaecologist obstetrician.
Speaking at the opening of a regional meeting of Parliamentary committees on health from east and southern Africa in Kampala on Tuesday, Dr Mallinga said despite available knowledge in the medical community about how to keep mothers live, there remains a stark divide of maternal mortality between rich and poor countries.
"A woman's lifetime risk of dying from pregnancy or childbirth in sub Saharan Africa is one 1 in 16 while the risk in developed countries is one in 3,800," Dr Mallinga explained.
Medically known as post-partum haemorrhage, bleeding after birth, according to Dr Mallinga remains a health risk for women not only in Uganda but the African continent and must be urgently addressed.
"It is a tragedy when women continue to die when maternal deaths and injuries are preventable, if women have access to prenatal care, skilled attendance at birth and emergency obstetric care," Dr Mallinga said. Uganda's maternal mortality rate, according to the 2006 demographic and health survey stands at 435 for every 100,000 live births.
The meeting, which runs from September 16 to 18 is discussing how members of Parliament across the African region can respond to the challenges of health equity within the region. It has attracted members of parliament from at least 15 countries.
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