Stanbic bank donates Mama Kits worth Shs 300m to health centres

Stanbic Bank Uganda and the Parliamentary Forum on East African Community Affairs (PEACA) have joined hands to support safe motherhood across the country.

They donated maternal and newborn essential supplies and equipment known as Mama Kits worth Shs 300 million. The donation was received by the state minister for Health in charge of General Duties Anifah Kawooya at the ministry of Health headquarters in commemoration of National Safe Motherhood month and Stanbic Bank’s Corporate Society for Safe Motherhood campaign. 

Gladys Muchae, Stanbic bank’s country head of credit said that even though the recent Uganda demographic and health survey by the Uganda National Bureau of Statics showed a significant reduction in maternal mortality from 336 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2016 to 189 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2022, more effort needs to be made to achieve the third SDG goal of bringing down these numbers to 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. 

“The health of mothers in our country impacts all of us, and therefore it is important to team up, promote and improve maternal health care. We therefore have identified 40 constituencies to which we shall deliver more than 4,000 Mama Kits to ease the birth process for mothers in under-served areas,” she said.

The Corporate Society for Safe Motherhood was launched early last year to bring together entities and individuals to raise awareness and limit preventable maternal and neonatal deaths in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Through the campaign, more than Shs 800 million was invested in maternal health in the form of equipment and Mama Kits last year alone. 

To date, this initiative has reached nearly 30 health centres with the recent engagement expected to increase this number to about 70 health facilities throughout the country.

“In addition to these 4,000 Mama kits, we shall soon deliver another 1,000 Mama Kits to identified health facilities in Mbale. But we have so far delivered 1,000 Mama kits to health centres in Karamoja, Kajjansi, Kalangala, Mukono, Arua and Luweero. In total this year, we have delivered 6000 Mama Kits and impacted about 100,000 women,” Muchae added.  

In her remarks, Kawooya said the donation is a timely and highly resourceful strategy that does not only support communities but also saves lives.  

“The number of women giving birth especially in rural areas is increasing every day but many of them don’t have the requirements to ensure a safe delivery making the mortality figures still relatively high and so we must work hard to ensure that we bring them down. Mama Kits are a big demand in our constituents and therefore this donation has come at the right time,” she said.

She commended Stanbic for its efforts in bridging the gap and supporting the government in extending maternal and neonatal well-being and pledged that the ministry will ensure that the donated items reach the right people and serve the exact purpose.

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