Health
Tackling maternal health through education, KOCU reaches out to mothers in Iganga
Sister Mwesigwa Loy sensitizing Basoga mothers about family planning during a KOCU outreach activity at Bulamagi health centre on July 12, 2025
More than a hundred mothers from across Bulamagi sub-county in Iganga district listened attentively to Sister Mwesigwa Loy, a senior nursing officer at Bulamagi Health centre III, as she spoke about the benefits of family planning to the life of the mother, the family and the community at large.
With many carrying babies and others visibly pregnant, Mwesigwa’s message targeted the right group. And yet it appears that the social-cultural spell that make Basoga women to have many children than they desire, will require greater effort to be broken.
Until recently, Busoga region carried the trophy as the biggest baby factory for Uganda. The 2024 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, showed Busoga had been dethroned by Teso and Bukedi where mothers produce 5.5 children on average. Basoga women now have
5 children on average.
However reports about the 21% unmet need for family planning in Busoga, suggests that more effort is needed to liberate the women from the bondage of poverty that is prevalent in the sub-region and is often linked to bigger families than what is desired.
Sister Mwesigwa’s presentation last Saturday July 12, 2025, was made possible with support from the Koica Club of Uganda (KOCU).
Left to Right: KOCU leader Ms. Stella Bukirwa, KOICA Uganda Program Manager Mr. Jeongho Oh, WHO Busoga region coordinator Dr. Kenneth Kabali, KOCU president Mr. Kasagga Robert, Dr Mutekanga Balak, the Bulamagi HC3 boss and Ms. Ingrid Kakame from KOICA at the KOCU outreach event on July 12, 2025
KOCU is an association that brings together all Ugandans who have travelled to Korea for training and returned to Uganda. It is driven by the idea that the lessons learned by those elite Ugandans (mostly educated civil servants) should be translated into actions to change Uganda for the better
The sensitization seminar focused on Water, Sanitation and Health (WASH) where health workers like Ms. Mwesigwa used the opportunity to talk about the elusive quest for family planning in the sub-region.
Mwesigwa cited the high rate of underage pregnancies accross Busoga as a major challenge that is linked with high maternal mortality rates in the sub-region.
Thanks to a WHO/KOICA project that refurbished 28 health centres across Busoga Sub-region, maternal mortality cases have halved.
But according to Mwesigwa, more sensitization needs to be done to achieve manageable families.
She pleaded with the mothers to stop engaging in intimate activities with their husbands in the presence of their children. She said that, when left alone, the children are very eager to practice what they learn from the parents.
She also beseached the mothers to talk to their children about sex and the dangers associated with underage pregnancies. Underage pregnancies, she said, is one of the main reasons behind the high number of complications that often lead to death of mothers during labour.
Other speakers during the outreach activity included Mr. Makaka Siraji, the Health Inspector for Bulamagi sub-county.
Makaka assembled a movable hand washing stand in the presence of the mothers and showed them how it works to stop infections.
Mr. Makaka Siraji, the Bulamagi sub-county Health Inspector, demonstrating how to use a movable hand washing stand to maintain hygiene in the family
Mr. Kasagga Robert, the President of KOCU observed that great progress has been achieved in reducing maternal and Child deaths in Busoga Sub-region, thanks in part to the recently concluded WHO/KOICA project that refurbished 28 health centres in sub-region.
However, he noted, poor hygiene practices such as absence of hand-washing habits and poor waste disposal, persist in many parts of the sub-region and continue to be a cause of ill-health.
With support from the Korea Agency for International Cooperation (KOICA), KOCU holds monthly outreach activities through which members actively participate in raising awareness about challenges that a community may be facing and how to address them.
Makaka also sensitized the mothers about the different aspects of hygiene, such as maintaining food hygiene, water hygiene, insisting that failure to uphold the discipline, often leads mothers to suffer ill health for themselves and their children.
During the outreach, 44 women attended anti-natal services, and 31 children were immunized.
Mothers at Bulamagi health centre III, Iganga district to have their children immunized
The mothers also received some hand-washing items like small jericans and basins.
Dr. Kayongo Aisha, (left) from the Uganda Police Press and PR department and a member of KOCU. handing out hand-washing tools to mothers who attended the sensitization seminar at Bulamagi health centre on July 12, 2025
Makaka however pleaded with KOCU to support his health-inspection team at the sub-county to mass produce the mobile hand-washing stands and promote their adoption.
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