MTN TO BUILD ACCOMMODATION FOR MOTHERS OF PREMATURE BABIES AT ARUA REGIONAL REFERRAL HOSPITAL

MTN officials pay visit to Paediatric Ward at Arua Regional Referral Hospital.

By Dramadri Federick

Arua City

Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN) Uganda has pledged to construct a housing unit for attendants at the Neonatal Unit of Arua Regional Referral Hospital in a bid to improve maternal and neonatal health care services.

The commitment comes at a time when the hospital is grappling with severe accommodation challenges affecting mothers, patients, and health workers who require adequate time to deliver and receive medical care.

Speaking during MTN’s visit to the hospital under the ongoing Yellow Storm Activation campaign, the Acting Director of Arua Regional Referral Hospital, Dr. Gilbert Aniku, revealed that the facility receives an average of 120 premature babies every month, however, many mothers are forced to stay without proper accommodation, putting the lives of their babies at risk.

“We appreciate the support MTN has extended to us. But, the most lasting support we shall always remember would be the establishment of an accommodation facility for mothers with premature babies. Some mothers stay here for between 10 and 28 weeks, yet the hospital has no proper space to accommodate them. We appeal to MTN to join us in constructing a housing unit for these mothers,” Dr. Aniku said.

In response, Phillip Odoi, the Regional Team Leader for Commercial Services at MTN Uganda in Northern Uganda, said MTN, through the MTN Foundation, has continuously supported access to quality maternal and neonatal health services across the country and is now ready to support the hospital’s accommodation needs.

“That concern has been taken into consideration, and we shall provide the desired response to the multiple needs raised by the hospital because we want our customers to live longer and stay healthy,” Odoi pledged.

As part of the visit, MTN officials handed over cleaning equipment, care packages for staff, and electronic cash support to more than 20 mothers and attendants in the pediatric, neonatal, and maternity wards.

MTN officials dish cash through MoMo Pay to the Patient Attendant at Arua Regional Referral Hospital

One of the beneficiaries, Felix Aziku, who received 50,000 shillings in electronic cash support, said the assistance came at the right time to enable them purchase prescribed drugs from private pharmacies.

“I have received 50,000 shillings from MTN, and we are very grateful. We are going to use it to buy drugs and fluids for the baby,” Aziku noted.

Aziku, who has used MTN services for more than 20 years, also called on the public to continue supporting and using MTN services consistently.

MTN staff joins in the blood donation drive at Arua Regional Referral Hospital as part of the Yellow Storm Activation in West Nile Region.

Neonatal care in Uganda continues to face high mortality rates, with an estimated 22.3 to 29 deaths per 1,000 live births.

The deaths are largely attributed to prematurity, birth asphyxia, and severe infections such as sepsis.

Regional Referral Hospitals continue to record high cases of neonatal sepsis, although interventions such as free oxygen concentrator systems are being introduced to improve survival rates.

The MTN Yellow Storm Activation campaign in the West Nile region is expected to run for three days and is mainly aimed at giving back to customers for their continued support and use of MTN services with various activities such as blood donation, customer luncheon, and donations of gifts among others.