In a major boost to maternal health care, the Rotary Club of Mbarara Ranchers has handed over 50 non-pneumatic anti-shock garments (NASGs) worth Shs21 million to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital for distribution across 40 health facilities in the Ankole sub-region.
The donation, made in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Cambridge and Medical Teams International, targets postpartum hemorrhage (PPH)—the excessive bleeding experienced by women during or after childbirth—which remains one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in Uganda.
According to Dr. Levan Tibeijuka, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, approximately 12 percent of pregnant women in the region experience PPH.
He noted that PPH accounted for nearly half of all maternal deaths in the Ankole sub-region during the 2023/2024 financial year, with Mbarara City and District recording the highest cases.
“Postpartum hemorrhage contributed to almost 48 percent of all maternal deaths last year. One in every three maternal deaths is due to excessive bleeding,” said Dr. Tibeijuka.
“These garments are life-saving tools that will help us stabilize mothers before definitive treatment, especially in settings where access to surgery or blood transfusion may be delayed.”
He highlighted the persistent challenges faced by health facilities, including delayed diagnosis, inadequate medical supplies, and insufficient numbers of NASGs despite existing government provisions.
“We need early identification and timely intervention. With the additional garments, we’ll be able to bridge a critical gap in maternal emergency response,” he added.
Angela Ainomugizi, President of the Rotary Club of Mbarara Ranchers, said the initiative was a response to the disturbing rise in maternal deaths due to childbirth complications, particularly from severe bleeding.
“We observed a growing number of women dying from preventable childbirth complications. As a new club, we prioritized this issue and, with our partners, managed to secure and deliver 50 garments to help health workers save lives,” she said.
Pauline Iryn Abiina, project director for the Rotary Club of Mbarara Ranchers, confirmed that each of the 40 recipient health facilities—including Health Center IIIs, IVs, and district hospitals—will receive at least one NASG unit.
“We’re supplementing the government's efforts. Each unit has the potential to stabilize a mother experiencing hemorrhage long enough for her to reach higher-level care,” Abiina explained.
Representing the hospital director at the handover ceremony, Dr. Leonard Abesiiga, a consultant obstetrician, expressed the hospital’s appreciation for the donation and urged health facilities to handle the garments responsibly.
“This is critical equipment. We urge health workers to ensure the proper use, cleaning, and care of these garments so that they can serve many patients,” he said.
The donation is expected to reduce maternal mortality by improving emergency care in peripheral facilities across Ankole.
Health officials say the equipment could play a decisive role in bridging time gaps between life-threatening bleeding and hospital-level treatment, especially in rural areas with transport and referral delays.
