By Ijoo Bosco
Women in Ogwal Wor Boma in Owiny have stated that long distances to health facilities and inadequate awareness of the importance of antenatal care (ANC) services contribute to the low turnout of pregnant mothers.
Mrs. Auma Paska revealed that many people in Owiny Ki Bul live far from medical services, making it difficult for them to access care during pregnancy, often resulting in them spending the entire period at home.
According to her, while some women have accessed maternity care, the long distance to health facilities means that many give birth at home or on their way to the hospital.
She also noted that there is insufficient awareness among pregnant mothers regarding the benefits of seeking antenatal care before childbirth at the grassroots level.
“There is limited outreach to most of our women living in the villages of Owiny Ki Bul. It is often challenging to bring pregnant women from different villages to one health unit. Most of them prefer home delivery due to the long distance and lack of transportation. We need to intensify education and awareness about the dangers and benefits of safe deliveries at health centers,” said Auma.
For his part, Emmanuel Monday, who works in the HIV department at Magwi County Hospital, revealed that the number of women seeking ANC services at the health facility is currently very low.
He pointed out that it is sometimes difficult to understand why some women fail to utilize ANC services, even when they are near a health facility.
Emmanuel encourages pregnant women to always seek antenatal care so they can be tested for diseases like syphilis and HIV/AIDS, helping to protect their unborn children.
“We are calling upon all pregnant women in Owiny to kindly come for ANC. This will help identify and treat transmissible infections like syphilis and HIV, ensuring safe deliveries,” added Emmanuel.
Late last year, the Magwi Catholic Diocese of Torit reported an increase in the number of women visiting health facilities for antenatal care and delivery services.