An estimated 41 percent of Ugandan women who would like to stop having children have no access to family planning services (Photo Courtesy Tiggy Ridley/IRIN)

It was recently reported in the media that the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga, wants an independent ministry to handle maternal health. Kadaga argued that maternal health needs to be removed from the general health sector so that it is easier to identify the challenges and needs of mothers and thereby improve maternal health in the country.

The deputy speaker's concerns are substantive. Something needs to be done to improve the maternal health situation in this country however; I do not think that setting up a maternal health ministry will improve the situation. We should bear in mind that setting up a ministry requires extra funding which the country may not readily have.

Uganda loses 6,000 women annually to pregnancy-related complications. These deaths can be illustrated by having approximately 36 white and blue stripped 14 seater taxis filled with pregnant women involved in fatal accidents every month. This state of affairs is unacceptable because these deaths are preventable with collaborative efforts from community to the highest level.

For the last two decades, there has been a minimal reduction in the numbers of women dying due to pregnancy or pregnancy related causes. This is because the reasons for high maternal mortality are multifaceted and therefore the government needs to either adopt new strategies to maternal health or strengthen existing ones. One such strategy should be encouraging male participation in maternal health programmes and activities.

Men are important players in reducing maternal health because, they are decision-makers on issues to do with family size and when a woman should get pregnant. This puts many women in a disadvantaged position where they have to wait for their partners and other influential males to choose if and when they are to access health care. This has resulted into many women dying either at home or just as they reach the health facility. While others have had to live with pregnancy related disabilities for the rest of their lives. It is therefore important to equip men with accurate information on maternal health so that they can play a lead role in reducing maternal mortality.

Studies have indicated that there are various barriers hindering men from actively participating in maternal health issues. There is need to change traditional cultural values, actions and perceptions that promote maternal health as a responsibility for only the women. The structure of reproductive health service delivery needs to be revised to include male service providers so that male clients do not feel left out. Similarly, maternal health community based programmes and initiatives should endeavour to include more males as community health workers. The involvement of males in maternal health programmes not only encourages men to utilise health services but also enables them gain more information and interest in maternal issues.

All relevant sectors need to play their part in ensuring that males realise that the health of a female is a societal issue. In addition, both formal and informal training for males should incorporate maternal health issues. It is through involving men that some progress in maternal health will be made.

Ms Mwagale is a student of public health at Uganda Christian University- Mukono