Jinja: The Jinja City council deputy speaker Sirina Kyakuwire Kamya is aggressive and concerned with public healthy facilities charging expectant mothers to access maternity services. Kyakuwaire advocates for free crucial services such as Ultra sound scans in government hospitals.
Kyakuwaire echoes the advocacy on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, while providing maternity services to pregnant women through her Kyakuwaire foundation, a charity organisation.
Over 200 expectant mothers benefited from a two-days maternity event that featured free services at Nile Crescent Health Centre located in Bugembe, Jinja city. These received ultra sound scans, mama kits, and basins, among others, to facilitate the pregnancy periods.
Kyakuwaire appeals to the government to ensure free health services to the mothers grappling with funds to access international medical facilities.
“It is so challenging that pregnant mothers are charged for simple services in government health facilities. This is unfortunate and unfair to such mothers who struggle to earn a living,” said Kyakuwaire.
She added that; “Our collaboration with Nile Crescent has showed that mothers really need these services, but they don’t access them. We expected a few people but the two days have closed with now over 200 people.”
Kyakuwaire, who is the city councillor representing Mafubira, is optimistic that the situation in the rural areas is distressing given the treatment given to the urban mothers.
Eyeing for Jinja City woman legislative seat in the 2026 general elections, the local broadcaster at Baba FM, notes that it high time people benefited from government health facilities following the inevitable higher taxes they pay every day. She calls for partnerships from any individuals and organisations to rescue the helpless ordinary mothers.
“If there is anyone willing to support us in this initiative, please turn up. We have started this, and we shall not stop it. Every last Tuesday of the month, we shall be conducting this cause,” she said.
She adds that many pregnant mothers have lost lives because of shs30,000 to go for scans from private health facilities. They instead go home and sit as they don’t afford the said amount of money, which Kyakuwaire emphasised that it is everyone’s responsibility to create a conducive environment for the mothers.
Aminah Nabirye, a resident of Wakitaka in Jinja City, is one of the beneficiaries. She is positive with the initiative, commending Kyakuwaire foundation for addressing the basic challenges of mothers.
“We thank the Kyakuwaire foundation for these health services. As mothers, we have struggled a lot to access such services,” said Nabirye, an expectant mother.
