Emmanueil Benon Turinawe

Promises Not Kept? or Not Yet?: Access to Maternal Health Services in Rural Areas of Uganda in the Decentralized Healthcare System in Conditions of Increased Privatisation Emmanueil Benon Turinawe

Pregnancy and child birth is not a pathology but a social function. The provision of services that guarantee safety through this noble period in a life of a woman is therefore part of a parcel of rights that these mothers are entitled to! This has been recognised and prioritised at many levels from the International committees to national resolutions. However, even as many statistics still reveal, there is not much to show on ground for the committments. especially in the rural areas of Sub Saharan Africa, many lives are still lost while fulfiling the social function of procreation. Even with the purported decentralisation of services to reach the very local people,many studies, including the work contained in this book reveal that alot needs to be done to fulfill the various promises. Privatisation carries away some of the achievements as medical care including maternity is seen as a comodity sold and bought in the market to the disadvantage of the poor and those in remote areas.