Premature births worry health officials in Mbale

A new report highlighting worrying trends of premature births in Mbale District says about 40 percent of 300 babies born at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital every month are premature. 

This trend has raised concerns among local leaders and health officials in Bugisu Sub-region.
“A premature birth, also known as preterm birth, is one where a baby is born before the 37th week of pregnancy. The normal gestation period is 40 weeks,’’ Dr Julian Abeso, the head of paediatrics at Mbale Hospital, said. 

“The hospital handles between 300 and 400 births monthly, with 40 percent being premature deliveries,’’ she said.

She further revealed that the hospital treats about 1,000 to 1,300 children monthly, both at inpatient and outpatient wings.

“The wards are too crowded. We need to make it less crowded,” Dr Abeso said, adding that the number of patients is overwhelming the wards given the limited number of staff. 

“The children’s wards also lack essential medical equipment such as monitoring devices.’’
Dr Abeso made these remarks during a function at the hospital where Stanbic Uganda Holdings Limited (SUHL) donated medical equipment to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital and Maluku Health Centre III in Mbale City at the weekend. 

The donation included six baby cribs, a pulse oximeter, 100 Mama Kits, two patient beds, and a delivery set, all essential for safe deliveries during labour.

“The equipment will greatly enhance our capacity to provide safe and effective care to expectant mothers and their newborns,’’ Dr Abeso said.

Dr Kathy Burgoine, the neonatal lead at the hospital, said many of her patients in the neonatal wing are preterm or premature babies. 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 13.4 million babies were born preterm in 2020 (before 37 completed weeks of gestation).

Preterm birth complications are the leading cause of death among children under five years of age.

Dr Abeso noted some achievements despite the challenges. 
“This year, the department of paediatrics at Mbale hospital received an award for fighting malaria. The hospital was also awarded as the second-best breast milk bank in the country,’’ she said. 

Mr Francis Karuhanga, the CEO of Stanbic Uganda Holdings Limited, said the donation was part of the company’s corporate social investment programmes. 

“Over the past two years, the safe motherhood interventions launched by the bank have reached more than 43 health facilities in 62 communities across the country,’’ Mr Karuhanga said. 

Capacity
Mbale hospital serves a population of more than five million people across 17 districts, including Mbale, Budaka, Bududa, Bukedea, Bukwo, Bulambuli, Butaleja, Kapchorwa, Kumi, Manafwa, and Sironko, among others.