Thursday 3 April 2014

ANTENATAL CARE FIRST TIME USER SMILES WIDER


Jackline K (30 years) is married with four children. She lives in Kagarama Village, Kagarama Parish, Kabingo Sub County – Isingiro District. According to Jackline antenatal care was never her “thing”, all her three children were delivered without any prior antenatal education, care or advice. She actually never thought it was important or necessary to attend antenatal let alone know that it is her right to get medical care and treatment until her fourth pregnancy when she attended a community maternal health rights meeting that was organized by a Maternal Health Promoter and VHT Parish Coordinator (Ms Nuwagira Roset) in her village (Kagarama).

Jackline sharing her joy during one of the maternal health meetings
I used not to go to the health centre for antenatal care services, for i never took them serious until i got knowledge from the maternal health rights meeting. After the meeting i decided to visit Ntungu HCII in Nyakitunda Sub County but to my suprise i was referred to Kabuyanda HCIV because my pregnancy seemed to show some complications. It is then that i was made to realize the importance of medical checkups, Jackie narrates. She adds “had i not delivered from the Health Centre, I don’t think that I would be alive today because my baby was not positioned well and they had to operate me to save my life and that of my baby. As if this is not enough at delivery my baby got a dislocation of the leg but with constant monitoring from the Health workers, he has improved and we are both in good health …”  She continues; “I thank our Parish Health Educator and Mayanja Memorial Hospital Foundation for having thought about us and brought this project…”
Having benefited from this project Jackline now spearheads the promotion of   maternal health rights in her village, and although she was not among the maternal health rights promoters who were oriented on this job and does not get a pay Jackline is happy to be a maternal health rights crusader. Her testimony has inspired many mothers to attend maternal health rights meetings and antenatal care. “Having witnessed how much the information i got helped me, i’ve since then embarked on sharing with my family, friends and the community on maternal health rights. And i am glad that many mothers have accepted to go for health services….”
Jackline looking and smiling at her bundle of joy
Jackline’s experience and zeal for promotion of maternal health rights has also earned her trust and audience among health workers in her sub county. For example Jackline shared that during one of her routine immunization trips to Kyabinunga Health Centre II, the Nurse on duty requested her to share her experience and also educate the other mothers who had come for immunization about maternal health rights.  Similarly the community and the leaders are grateful for Jackline’s efforts “We have learnt so much from this project through Jackline and we have utilised the information by accessing health facilities for the different health services” thus noted a group of mothers in Kagarama Parish. At the last Sub County based lobby meeting, Jackline was thanked by the leadership for having dedicated her time to the project and for being an exemplary beneficiary.

Clearly the project has facilitated positive change in the community. Mothers are now aware of their maternal health rights and responsibilities, which are being seen to save lives and restore hope to the rural mothers.