African Rural Sociology | 22 August 2006
Maternal Mortality Reduction through Community Health Worker Programmes in Kampala, Uganda: A Five-Year Analysis
N, a, k, a, r, e, N, a, m, u, g, u, t, a, ,, K, i, z, i, t, o, M, u, g, y, e, n, y, i
Abstract
Maternal mortality remains a significant public health concern in many African countries, including Uganda. In Kampala, community health worker (CHW) programmes have been implemented to address this issue. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data from surveys with qualitative insights from interviews. Data collection was conducted through structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews among CHWs, community members, and healthcare facilities in Kampala. A notable trend observed is the significant reduction in maternal mortality rates (MMR) attributed to improved access to emergency obstetric care by CHWs, with a decrease of 25% over five years. CHW programmes have been instrumental in enhancing maternal health outcomes in Kampala. Future research should explore scaling up these interventions and assessing their sustainability across diverse settings. Policy makers are encouraged to invest more resources into CHW training and infrastructure, while community engagement initiatives should be strengthened to ensure widespread adoption of these services.