Stanbic Bank Uganda and Rotary Mama Toto Care Uganda have entered a three-year partnership worth Shs 600 million to strengthen public health facilities and help reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths in Uganda.
The partnership will focus on improving the quality of maternal and newborn care by supporting frontline health workers, providing essential equipment, upgrading health facilities and strengthening referral systems for mothers who develop complications during childbirth.
For many women, the distance to the nearest health facility can determine whether they receive timely care. However, reaching a health centre is only part of the challenge.
Their survival may also depend on whether skilled health workers are available, equipment is functional and there is an effective referral system when specialised treatment is needed.
Speaking at the signing ceremony at Stanbic Bank’s Learning and Development Centre in Kampala, Stanbic Bank Executive Director Paul Muganwa said improving maternal health was important not only for families but also for Uganda’s economic development.
“Uganda has set itself an ambitious goal of growing its economy to $500 billion by 2040. We cannot achieve that vision if women, who are the backbone of our families, communities and future workforce, continue to face preventable risks during childbirth,” Muganwa said.
He said maternal deaths also affect communities and the wider economy because they can result in the loss of human capital and productivity.
“We cannot talk meaningfully about inclusive growth while mothers continue to risk their lives simply by bringing forth the next generation. A healthy mother is the cornerstone of a productive workforce and a prosperous nation,” he said.
Muganwa said the partnership forms part of Stanbic Bank’s Positive Impact Agenda, which supports initiatives in areas including women’s and youth empowerment, financial inclusion, enterprise development, climate resilience, infrastructure and corporate social investment.
Rotary District 9213 Governor Dr Gerald Obai said the partnership showed the importance of collaboration between the private sector, government, communities and development partners in addressing maternal health challenges.
“This partnership shows what is possible when organisations come together around a shared purpose. Maternal mortality is not a challenge that government or Rotary can solve alone. It requires businesses, communities and development partners working together to save lives,” Obai said.
He said the Rotary Mama Toto Care programme supports health systems by strengthening the skills of healthcare workers, equipping health facilities and mobilising communities to improve maternal and child health.
Speaking on behalf of Rotary Mama Toto Care Uganda, Magezi Ndamira said the partnership followed work that began in 2022 to improve maternal and newborn health.
He said the programme supports women of reproductive age as well as healthcare workers who provide care to mothers and newborns.
“We stand with the mother who begins labour many kilometres from a health facility. We stand with the mother who arrives hoping there is equipment and skilled healthcare workers to help her deliver safely. We also stand with the midwife, the nurse and the doctor who want to save lives but need the right tools to do so,” Ndamira said.
He said every mother should receive respectful and dignified care, while every newborn should have an opportunity to survive regardless of where they live or their ability to pay.
“The value of this investment will not be measured by the amount of money committed. It will be measured by the mothers whose lives are saved, the newborns who survive and the families that go home together,” he said.
Ndamira said Mama Toto Care works through existing government health facilities instead of creating separate systems.
The programme has four main areas of focus: training and re-skilling healthcare workers, providing essential maternal and newborn equipment, educating communities about antenatal care and safe delivery, and improving referral systems and the quality of care.
“We strengthen government health facilities and equip healthcare workers who are already serving within the Ministry of Health. Our guiding principle is simple: where is the greatest need, and where can our intervention make the biggest difference?” he said.
Stanbic Bank Manager for Corporate Social Investment Diana Ondoga said the partnership contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on health and well-being and partnerships for development.
She said Uganda had made progress in improving maternal health but more work and stronger cooperation were needed to achieve international targets.
Dr Charles Olaro, the Director General of Health Services at the Ministry of Health, welcomed the partnership, saying maternal health requires cooperation beyond government.
“Maternal health is not the responsibility of the ministry of Health alone. It requires government, the private sector, communities and development partners working together to remove barriers that prevent women from accessing quality care,” Olaro said.
He said partnerships such as the Stanbic Bank and Rotary initiative complement government efforts to strengthen the health system, improve health infrastructure and expand access to skilled maternal care.
Under the three-year partnership, the organisations will support health facility upgrades, train frontline health workers, introduce an adopt-a-health-centre model and mobilise communities to promote antenatal care, safe delivery and other practices that can improve the health of mothers and newborns.
