Kampala, Uganda — The World Health Organization (WHO) has reaffirmed its commitment to improving maternal and newborn health in Uganda by providing essential information technology equipment to the Bunyoro Local Maternity and Neonatal Systems (LMNS) in Hoima Regional Referral Hospital, in western Uganda.

The equipment, which includes a laptop, projector, and printer, was received by Dr Ibrahim Bwaga, coordinator of the Bunyoro LMNS and Acting Senior Executive Consultant at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital. The support will enhance virtual capacity building and improve coordination of maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response activities across the region.

“This equipment is a major boost to our efforts,” said Dr Bwaga. “It will enable us to better coordinate and deliver quality maternal and newborn health services throughout Bunyoro. Our success depends on strong collaboration with WHO, the Ministry of Health, and local partners.”
As part of the support, WHO also supported essential training in operative obstetrics for 20 health workers from the Bunyoro region.

Kira Koch, WHO Uganda’s Cluster Lead for Universal Health Coverage and Life Course, said, "Strengthening regional systems like the Bunyoro LMNS is central to achieving universal health coverage. By investing in both people and infrastructure, we are helping ensure that every mother and newborn receives the quality care they deserve, regardless of where they live."

The Ministry of Health established the local maternity and neonatal systems as, a subnational catalytic mechanism to coordinate and build synergies among stakeholders within regions, aiming to improve maternal and newborn health care service delivery. The system is premised to enhance quality service delivery from a complimentary perspective by integrating the activities into the regional referral mandate.

The Bunyoro LMNS, which has been active since September 2024, covers the districts of Kibaale, Kagadi, Kakumiro, Kikuube, Hoima, Buliisa, Masindi, Kiryandongo, and Hoima City.

Although the Bunyoro institutional maternal mortality ratio has reduced to 94 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births and institutional perinatal mortality rate to 24 per 1000 live births, these figures remain high for the region and require sustained efforts to address the poor outcomes.

The LMNS has identified critical capacity building and coordination activities to further improve maternal and newborn health outcomes in the Bunyoro region. These include strengthening clinical skills and knowledge-sharing, improving leadership and governance, strengthening inter-facility collaboration, and enhancing the availability of essential medicines and supplies. The system also aims to strengthen research to inform policy and improve regional performance in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services.

This collaboration underscores a shared commitment to building a more resilient health system in Uganda. Through strengthened regional coordination, enhanced clinical capacity, and improved access to essential resources, the Bunyoro LMNS is well-positioned to serve as a scalable model for maternal and newborn health interventions across the country.