By Ezaruku Draku Franklin

The new Rotary International President, Dr. Jennifer Jones is scheduled to launch a Shillings 2.95 billion maternal village ambulance project, on her visit to Uganda slated for September this year.

Dr Jones, the first female President Rotary International took office in July replacing Shekhar Mehta. Mehta visited the country in September 2021. The Canadian is scheduled to stay in Uganda for one week from August 31to September 7,2022 on tour under the theme “Imagine Impact Tour” where she will visit various initiatives undertaken by Rotary in Uganda and launch new projects.

Peace Taremwa the Governor, Rotary District 9214 which comprises Uganda and Tanzania with 98 Rotary and 88 Rotaract Clubs said the maternal tri-cycle ambulances project aims at easing transport for mothers to maternity facilities at various Health Center IVs across the country.

He said Dr Jones will have engagements with different government officials before launching the ambulance project.

“She will meet senior government officials to discuss matters of mutual interest and also launch the Rotary flagship projects of Maternal Village Ambulance Programme and Basic Education and Literacry Enhancement Programme,” Taremwa said.

He said Rotarians in Uganda carried out a needs based assessment which observed that the leading cause of maternal mortality is the difficulty in accessing maternity facilities due to the distance between homesteads and the health centres.

He said the project will procure 300 tri-cycle ambulances in total and will also see the training of riders and emergency responders.

According to him, the ambulances are expected to serve at least 50,000 women with 100 try-cycles purchased in this financial year from India. He also said Rotary in Uganda is in partnership with the Ministry of Health which will pay taxes and registration fees for the Tuk-Tuks while the World Health Organisation (WHO) will offer technical offer.

“The money that will be used to purchase these ambulances is basically coming from us. Our target was that can we have the first 100 try-cycles procured this year and subsequently move until we get the 300. We have come up together with the ministry of health and World Health Organisation with village ambulance sustainability programme where the communities will manage these try-cycles,” he said.

Taremwa also said the health facilities will be availed with beds and basic first aid items in addition to the tri-cycles. He said they have identified three districts of Kabale, Kabarole and Wakiso have been identified to benefit in the first phases of the project with a total of 170 health facilities.

Uganda’s maternal mortality rate as of 2016 stood at 336 deaths per 100,000 people, more than the WHO standard which stands at 70 deaths per 100,000 live births.

“It is important to bring a mother to a health facility where she will find sterilised equipment where the delivery bed is available and I think that the Rotarians need to stretch to provide these items. We have also approached other corporate organisations and our strategy is that we must try as much as possible to support the maternal and child health as our area of focus in this Rotary year,” he said.

Mike Ssebalu, the Governor, Rotary District 9213 said the visit by the Rotary International President means that Uganda is a high priority country.

“The Rotary Foundation is the nerve centre which makes resources available for impactful projects to be undertaken. On average, Uganda is having an uptake of more than $4 million from Rotary International on projects that are being implemented in the seven areas of focus and all that has an effect on quality of life and welfare of our people in Uganda,” he said.

According to Ssebalu, Dr Jones will also launch the Basic Education and Literacy Enhancement Program where Rotary plans to enhance 100,000 children’s literacy skills while at home and school, donate 1 million story books to Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools, sponsor 100 teachers to upgrade, and provide sanitary pads to school girls.

He said these will benefit 10,000 children, 500 teachers, 500 parents and 35 local communities.

She will also participate in other activities including fundraising drive for the Rotary Peace Center at Makerere University, visit to Mulago Heart Institute and the Buikwe Youth Vocational Institute, flagging off runners at the Rotary Cancer Run on September 4, 2022 at Kololo Independence Grounds.