On Friday, an MP died due to pregnancy-related complications. Hailat Kaudha Magumba, 31, became part of the grim statistics that define maternal mortality in this country. Various surveys put the figure at 16 deaths daily. The Iganga Woman MP succumbed to severe preeclampsia, which health professionals define as hypertensive disorders that complicate pregnancy.
The MP's death is a sad reminder of the vulnerability of pregnant mothers in this country. Rural mothers are in a more precarious situation given the long distances they have to walk to access health facilities. Often, the roads are impassable, more so during rainy seasons. Even when mothers make it to the health units, there are lots of other challenges: lack of personnel to attend to them leading to complications or even deaths; sometimes the health facilities, including referrals, lack basic necessities.
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