By Kefa Senoga 

Uganda Christian University (UCU) on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, hosted a stakeholder engagement meeting at Principal’s Hall, bringing together partners from Save the Mothers (STM) East Africa, a delegation from Mukono Health Office and Mukono General Hospital. The meeting focused on an upcoming structural expansion project and the procurement of essential maternity equipment for the hospital’s labor suite.

Save the Mothers East Africa, which partners with UCU to deliver the Master of Public Health Leadership (MPHL) program, is spearheading the initiative under the Mother Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (MBFHI). The goal is to address infrastructural challenges at Mukono General Hospital, especially the “third delay”—the delay in receiving proper care after reaching a health facility. The project aligns with Uganda’s national health priorities and directly supports Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3): Good Health and Wellbeing.

UCU maintains a longstanding institutional partnership with Mukono General Hospital, which serves as a clinical and community training site for both undergraduate nursing students and postgraduates in the MPHL program. Speaking during the meeting, Dr. Mushin Nsubuga, Executive Director of Save the Mothers East Africa, noted that the expansion offers a strategic opportunity to enhance the learning environment for UCU students while directly contributing to improved maternal and newborn health outcomes in Uganda.

“This partnership also presents an opportunity to amplify UCU’s visibility and credibility in public health programming and advocacy,” Dr. Nsubuga said.

Mr. David Mugawe, UCU’s Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration and a board member of Save the Mothers, emphasized the university’s commitment to community impact.

“At UCU, we exist to teach, conduct research, and engage in community outreach. We are only relevant as long as we are impacting society,” he said. “This collaboration is a fulfillment of our mission and a foundation to build on.”

Mukono General Hospital which has recorded over 9,000 deliveries annually, serves as one of the 15 MBFHI partner sites since 2014. According to Dr. Geoffrey Kasirye, the hospital’s medical superintendent, despite the hospital’s status being elevated to general hospital status in 2020, the hospital continues to face infrastructure constraints that hinder the quality of care.

“We are grateful to Save the Mothers and UCU for coming on board,” Dr. Kasirye said. “This partnership feels like family. The demand for our services is high, and this support couldn’t have come at a better time.”

Dr. Stephen Mulindwa, the District Health Officer for Mukono, applauded the effort and acknowledged UCU’s growing involvement in local health initiatives.

“Every day, 12 women die from childbirth complications. No woman or child should die giving life,” he said. “We appreciate Save the Mothers and UCU for coming together to establish mother-baby friendly facilities. I’ll personally work to ensure the district fully recognizes UCU’s past and ongoing support.”

The meeting was attended by representatives from Mukono District Local Government, UCU’s Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health, Directorate of Facilities and Capital Projects, Directorate of Communication and Public Relations, and the Save the Mothers management team.

This collaboration reaffirms UCU’s mission to serve and impact communities through strategic partnerships and holistic education.

This collaboration reaffirms UCU’s mission to serve and impact communities through strategic partnerships and holistic education especially in the area of maternal and neonatal health.