In a proactive move to combat high maternal mortality rates in Busoga, the Federation for Uganda Medical Interns (FUMI) organized a holistic marathon on Saturday, August 31, 2024, dubbed the “Maternal and Child Health Run,” which emphasized running for the Busoga mother. FUMI, an umbrella organization for medical interns across the country, is committed to eradicating this deadly health challenge in Uganda, particularly in Busoga.
The medical interns collaborated with the Busoga Consortium for Development (BCD), Ministry of Health, Busoga Health Forum, Busoga Kingdom, and Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, among others. The run, held at Kakindu, was graced by the East African Community Minister, Rebecca Kadaga, who served as the chief runner to support this noble cause.
Flagged off by BCD Director General Mr. Anthony Mula, the marathon featured numerous runners who jogged a 10km route through the streets of Jinja city center. The team started exactly at 8 a.m., and by 9 a.m., they had returned to Kakindu Stadium.
Kadaga commended the young doctors for spearheading this important initiative aimed at impacting the lives of mothers in Busoga.
“It is unusual to find young people with the heart of giving, but these young doctors have that heart. I am happy that you are committed to impacting the community, using your time and capacity to help Busoga,” Kadaga said.
Kadaga also highlighted that, in addition to maternal health challenges, Busoga is severely affected by a high rate of sickle cell disease. She urged medical personnel and other stakeholders to find ways to combat this deadly disease.
Kadaga pledged to provide relevant support for any health campaign aimed at improving health in Busoga.
According to Dr. Oscar Melvin, head of the maternal marathon, the initiative will be turned into an annual event, with several activities planned for the future. These activities will include educating youngsters in schools about teenage pregnancies.
“We were supposed to visit schools some weeks ago, but due to a lack of resources, we couldn’t,” Dr. Melvin said.
He emphasized, “We are young people without money, but we are passionate and determined to drive this initiative to end maternal health challenges and other issues in Uganda.”
Mr. Mula, the BCD chief, expressed the need to prioritize maternal health to drive community development. He noted that the Busoga Development Agenda emphasizes the importance of mothers in transforming society.
“We don’t want to see a mother dying while giving birth. We don’t want to see a child dying during birth. That is why such initiatives and campaigns are important,” Mr. Mula said.
Globally, the focus on maternal and child health remains a high priority and a target within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the unfinished Millennium Development agenda. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 3 prioritizes maternal and child health, with one of its targets aiming to reduce the global maternal mortality rate to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030.
In 2023, about 300,000 women died of pregnancy-related causes worldwide, with sub-Saharan Africa alone contributing more than half of these figures.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 80 percent of maternal deaths and 60 percent of neonatal deaths worldwide could be averted by ensuring access to quality and effective maternal and child healthcare services, especially during the first week of life.
Meanwhile, Busoga subregion remains highly marginalized, with the highest maternal health challenges. Figures indicate that 448 mothers die annually due to childbirth complications in the region, compared to the national figure of 336 per 100,000 live births. Furthermore, while the national neonatal mortality rate and average infant mortality rate stand at 27 and 58 deaths per 1,000 live births, respectively, in Busoga, these rates are 28 and 58.
Therefore, FUMI has embarked on efforts to contribute to the attainment of Universal Health Coverage, equitable access to quality healthcare services, and the improvement of maternal and child health care through this charitable marathon. According to Dr. Melvin, eleven (11) health units from various districts in Busoga will be supported with the proceeds from the run
