Celebration at Nkuruba Hospital to highlight the significance of the new equipment benefiting expectant mothers (Photo: Sr. Jane Frances Kabagaaju)
By Maureen Ogundeph and Sr. Jane Frances Kabagaaju
The World Women Observatory ambassador from Uganda, Sr. Jane Frances Kabagaaju, of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Child Jesus, received an award from the United States Africa Development Foundation (USADF) with the facilitation of the African Diaspora Network (sponsored by the Hilton Foundation) through one of its programmes, the BAF (Builder of African Future) initiative. Suor Jane Frances Kabagaaju wrote a proposal for an ultrasound machine and ‘Mama Kits’ to reduce the maternal mortality rate and help the centres achieve self-sustainability.
Sr. Jane Frances felt the need to celebrate this achievement as a way of creating awareness and empowering women. She engaged mothers and involved people of goodwill by organising an event held at Nkuruba Hospital, in the western part of Uganda, on March 9, 2024—just one day after International Women's Day. The theme for this year was "Inspire Inclusion: Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress." She collaborated with the Church, her sisters, women at the diocesan level, and other people of goodwill to celebrate the day, giving it significance by launching the machines to benefit expectant mothers. The Bishop of the Fort Portal Diocese supported the initiative and invited all people of goodwill to join the celebration.
“I have a deep feeling to help these poor women around me, but I do not have the possibilities,” expressed Sr. Jane Frances.
With the ultrasound machine, mothers can now learn the status of their babies. However, if a mother cannot deliver normally, it is challenging for the sisters to assist her. In such cases, they must refer her to another facility, which is often far away. When the time comes, many mothers run to the sisters for delivery or help.
The hospital is in urgent need of operating theatres, incubators, and doctors to attend to the mothers. Many women also face severe economic hardships. For example, one mother, after taking out a loan to pay for her children's schooling, sought assistance from the sisters when she could not meet her repayment deadline.
In another case, a mother visited the sisters' hospital. After a scan, they discovered she was expecting twins and recommended she go to a larger hospital. However, when the mother began experiencing premature labor, she rushed back to the sisters’ hospital. The babies were born with complications, including breech presentation (when a baby is born bottom-first instead of head-first). The sisters had to transport the mother to a larger hospital, and the second baby was born en route. Thankfully, both babies were saved with the help of incubators.
Although Sr. Jane Frances felt relieved that the mother and twins survived, she expressed that with better facilities, she could do even more to save lives.
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