Irene Nabusoba and Raymond Baguma
18 September 2008
Kampala — THE Government has approved the use of a low-cost drug to treat and prevent excessive bleeding in mothers during childbirth to curb the high maternal mortality rates.
Misoprostol can be administered to women immediately after childbirth. It also has the advantage of being administered at home with the help of birth attendants.
"It will help stop post-partum haemorrhage in mothers. It has other uses but we shall limit it to management of bleeding and induction," said Dr. Stephen Mallinga, the health minister.
Mallinga was on Tuesday addressing the regional meeting of the parliamentary committees on health in eastern and southern African countries at Speke Resort, Munyonyo.
The meeting is assessing the health situation in east and central Africa.
It was attended by MPs from Botswana, Malawi, Burundi, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania and Kenya.
Mallinga said although Misoprostol was available in the country, its use was still limited to major hospitals. He added that the National Drug Authority had procured it and would be administered free of charge in government facilities.
Mallinga explained that the Government had delayed to license the drug, which can also be used to induce labour, because of fears of possible abuse by using it to conduct abortions.
Misoprostol is a white tablet that a woman places under her tongue or inserts into the private parts, after giving birth. It dissolves fast, making the uterus to contract thereby averting excessive bleeding.
Research shows that when used properly, Misoprostol can reduce excess bleeding in mothers after childbirth by up to 90%. Excessive bleeding is the leading cause of maternal deaths in Uganda and is due to malnutrition, anaemia, poor health and giving birth to many children at close intervals.
Bleeding often occurs during delivery or shortly after birth, but may also present in cases of unsafe abortions.
Of the 6,000 women who die annually due to pregnancy complications in Uganda, bleeding accounts for 25 to 40% of the deaths. This is worsened by the fact that only 42% of mothers in Uganda deliver with assistance from qualified midwives, according to the 2006 National Demographic report.
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