More than 250 expectant mothers have died at Mbale Hospital in Uganda during the last five years, latest figures reveal. The deaths are due to the neglect of medical care, drugs shortages, a lack of hospital equipment and the delays expectant mothers experience in reaching the hospital in time.
The figures released by Dr Otim Tom Charles, head of the hospital’s gynaecology department, show that at least 60 expectant mothers died between 2006/07, 64 died between 2007/08, 44 mothers died in 2008/09, 39 mothers died in 2009/10 and 49 mothers have died this year. This brings the total deaths to 256.
Dr Otim’s report, The situation of maternal health in Mbale region, notes that most of the deaths at Mbale hospital have been due to a lack of drugs and supplies. This includes shortages of anaesthetics, antibiotics and a shortage of blood, all of which would be used by the medical officers help mothers have safe deliveries.
Dr Otim also attributed the deaths of expectant mother in most health units within the region to delay in seeking help from medical personnel in time. He said this is due to the a lack of partner support as husbands often leave their wives to struggle on their own during labor but can also be the result of a refusal by expectant mothers to be referred to a major hospital during pregnancy, as many choose herbal medication rather than attend antenatal.
Dr Otim finds that the lack of these basic services means some expectant mothers have died after developing complications. All these complications come about due to a lack of proper medical management in the early stages of pregnancy.
The report also indicates that in the same period more than 335 expectant mothers underwent caesarean operations due to obstructed labour at the hospital. In 2009/10 there were at least 89 cases of fistula while in 2010 to the present, more than 86 mothers were operated on after their uterus ruptured.
Between October 2009 and July 2010, the majority of expectant mothers who died at Mbale referral hospital where residents from Mbale followed by Tororo, Bududa, Butaleja and Namutumba. All died from complications including botched abortions, puerperal sepsis, pre-eclampsia, anaemia and anaesthetic.
However, Otim noted that, irrespective of these deaths, there has been a decline in the number of expectant mothers who have died in the last five years from 60 in 2006 to 49 in 2011, while there has been an increase in admissions and deliveries at the hospital over the same period. In 2006/07, 9054 expectant mothers were admitted, in 200/08 9656 were admitted, in 2008/09 more than 9634 expectant mothers were admitted, in 2009/10 over 10247 were admitted and in 2010 to present 10,334 women visited the maternity ward. Deliveries have shot up from 5147 babies in 2009 to 7149 in 2011.
As way of addressing this situation, the hospital management recently partnered with Kissito International Health Care to build the capacity of gynaecologists in Bugisu sub region. Last month (7 July 2011), more than 50 health personal from the region including doctors and midwifes from the district of Manafa, Bududa, Sironko and Mbale converged at Mbale manpower center to undergoing a basic emergency obstetric care training.
The training also aimed at empowering medics to contribute towards the reduction of maternal and prenatal mortality and morbidity in Mbale region with a view that there will be a reduction in these major causes of ill health and premature deaths.