Enabel's collective effort to save lives

Every day, 16 mothers lose their lives in Uganda due to complications related to pregnancy and childbirth - lives that could be saved with the right interventions. Maternal mortality continues to be a critical challenge in the country, driven by delays in seeking care, reaching health facilities, and receiving quality treatment.

Recognizing the urgency of this issue, an EU delegation, led by Ms. Karolina Hedstrom (Head of Cooperation, EU to Uganda), visited Fort Portal City to strengthen partnerships and assess ongoing efforts to improve maternal healthcare. During the visit, Enabel showcased its integrated approach to addressing these three key delays, ensuring that more mothers receive the timely, accessible, and high-quality care they deserve.

Delay 1: improving health choices
A major barrier to maternal health in Uganda is the lack of awareness and preparedness among young people and communities. Many women delay seeking care due to misinformation, financial constraints, or cultural beliefs. Enabel is tackling this challenge by driving behavioural change through various initiatives, such as the Life Skills Toolkit, which equips young people with the knowledge, adaptability, and resilience needed to make informed health decisions. Key achievements include:

• 250 teachers trained across 43 secondary schools
• 11,000 learners reached in Phase 1 training (2024)
• Plans to expand to 50,000 students in 50 schools by 2027

Additionally, Enabel’s Saving for Health initiative under the Social Protection project is enhancing financial preparedness for health emergencies:

• 15,252 members trained in savings for health
• UGX 602M mobilized as a Savings for Health fund
• 503 groups (8,066 members) actively saving for health

Delay 2: ensuring timely access to care
For many expectant mothers, distance and lack of reliable transport can mean the difference between life and death. Women in rural areas often face long journeys to health facilities, with limited or no access to emergency transportation when complications arise. Enabel, in partnership with Babies and Mothers Alive (BAMA), is implementing innovative solutions to ensure that pregnant women can reach health centers on time. Two impactful digital solutions have been introduced to address this challenge:

• Family Connect: A digital system that engages 40,000 expectant mothers in antenatal care through SMS notifications for upcoming visits. Currently, 5,908 women are enrolled in the system from Kabarole & Kasese.
• Mama Rescue App: This app connects pregnant women to boda boda riders for safe, fast transport to health centers during labor. To date, 134 mothers have been supported through this service.

Delay 3: enhancing quality care at facilities
Even when mothers do manage to reach health facilities, a lack of skilled personnel, essential equipment, and emergency preparedness can lead to preventable deaths. Many health centers in Uganda struggle with inadequate resources, limiting their ability to provide life-saving maternal and newborn care. To combat this, Enabel’s WeCare Initiative is strengthening healthcare facilities and improving service delivery at Ruteete Health Centre IV. The WeCare Initiative has made a significant impact at Ruteete Health Centre IV:

• Skilled birth deliveries increased from 258 to 345 (2023–2024)
• Antenatal coverage rose from 56% to 73%
• The facility was equipped with critical maternal and newborn care tools, including anaesthesia machines, incubators, emergency crash trolleys, and foetal dopplers
• High-Risk Clinics & Birth Preparedness Plans were introduced, boosting emergency response for at-risk mothers from 0% to 80%

Through these efforts, Enabel and its partners are making maternal healthcare in Uganda more timely, accessible, and of higher quality, ultimately ensuring that more mothers and newborns receive the care they deserve. Together, we are enabling change and working towards a healthier future for Uganda’s mothers and their babies. 

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