Uganda: Maternal and Child Health

Our objectives are to increase accessibility to hospital care and assisted deliveries for all vulnerable populations, with special attention to women and children.

Our motivation stems from hospital attendance by indigenous populations like the Batwa has always been very limited, as it includes indirect costs that in most cases are prohibitive for these families. Despite most medical care being free, costs related to transportation, meals, and support materials for childbirth were the main barriers to accessing healthcare. As a result, services have never been used optimally, with many cases of late hospitalization and in aggravated conditions, leading to increased disability and mortality.

Impact:
- The percentage of hospital deliveries has increased from 50% to 90%
- Early discharges have decreased from 30% to 5%
- Hospitalizations, across all age and gender categories, have increased by 40%
- Hospital mortality of Batwa patients has decreased by 1/3
- Pregnant women receive meals in the hospital that help them recover