Presiding over a funeral service of a mother who has died giving birth is one of the most depressing and saddening moments for Reverend Moses Semugooma, a family planning champion from Mityana Church of Uganda in Mityana district.

As a priest, Semugooma has presided over several funerals for mothers who died giving birth and infants who died at birth but such happenings send cold chills in his spine.

“It is very saddening as a religious leader to be called upon to preside over a funeral service of a mother who has died while giving birth. It is something that I always pray that it doesn’t happen,” Semugooma says.

He notes that saving mothers from dying while giving birth is within the means of every individual and religious leaders need to take centre stage.

“We are always at the pulpit preaching the people about God and to get saved. We should also tell them how to save their lives by promoting sexual reproductive health rights,” Semugooma says.

Currently, Uganda is still grappling with the ugly realities of losing 16 women every day due to pregnancy-related complications.

While presenting as a panelist at the press launch of the State of the World Population Report 2019 in Kampala late last month, Semugooma said such happenings should be eye openers to religious leaders to advocate for better sexual reproductive health services and rights.

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It is depressing to preside over a funeral of a mother who has died giving birth, says Priest

By Geoffrey Mutegeki

Added 17th May 2019 03:33 PM

As a priest, Semugooma has presided over several funerals for mothers who died giving birth and infants who died at birth but such happenings send cold chills in his spine.

Finance for planning state minister, David Bahati (third left) launches the state of the World Population report 2019 as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) country representative, Alain Sibenaler (third right), Rev. Moses Semugooma(second right) and Dr. Olive Sentumbwe (right) look on during a press conference at Golden Tulip hotel, Nakasero on 25th April 2019. Looking on from left is Kabong district midwife, Jenneth Akello and Dr. Jotham Musinguzi. Photos by Juliet Kasirye.

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

KAMPALA – Presiding over a funeral service of a mother who has died giving birth is one of the most depressing and saddening moments for Reverend Moses Semugooma, a family planning champion from Mityana Church of Uganda in Mityana district.

As a priest, Semugooma has presided over several funerals for mothers who died giving birth and infants who died at birth but such happenings send cold chills in his spine.

He notes that saving mothers from dying while giving birth is within the means of every individual and religious leaders need to take centre stage.

“We are always at the pulpit preaching the people about God and to get saved. We should also tell them how to save their lives by promoting sexual reproductive health rights,” Semugooma says.

Currently, Uganda is still grappling with the ugly realities of losing 16 women every day due to pregnancy-related complications.

Dr. Olive Sentumbwe shows statistics during the press conference

“As religious leaders, we have the obligation to advise our followers on what is right. We all know unplanned families are a source of poverty, we all know the dangers of unwanted pregnancies, we all know how contraceptives are important but why are we not telling the people?” Semugooma says.

Semugooma who is also a sexual reproductive health rights advocate loves talking about family planning, women empowerment, and maternal health.

Speaking about the planning methods, Semugooma advocates for condom use and all the other modern methods but says women must be empowered to voluntarily make the right choices.

“I would encourage married couples to use condoms and all the other modern methods but for adolescents, it is better to abstain. With condoms and abstinence, we are curbing teenage pregnancy, HIV infections, Sexually transmitted diseases, and poverty,” Semugooma says.

Female sexual and reproductive health is among the issues most affected by religion since most religions promote high fertility, early marriage, non-use of contraceptives.

“Even when you are on the pulpit, you can advise people on family planning. As a church, if we want our people to develop, we must tackle these social aspects that are trapping them in poverty,” Semugooma says.

Semugooma’s words come at the time when the world is marking 25 years since the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) was held in Cairo.

During the ICPD in 1994, governments globally adopted a revolutionary agreement calling for women’s reproductive health and rights to take centre stage in development efforts.

Since then, access to voluntary family planning has expanded around the world. Today 58% of women use modern contraceptives compared to 52% to 1994.

In Uganda, 35% of women use modern family planning methods, an increase from 26% in 2006.

The number of women who die from pregnancy-related causes has dropped from 506 per 100,000 live births in 1995 to 336 in 2016 according to the National Population Council.

The State Minister of Finance for Planning David Bahati who officiated the launch of the report said the progress is worth celebrating but says a lot needs to be done.

“This is great news for me who lost my mother when I was very young at the age of three. I don’t know the picture of my mother, I was told she died giving birth to the person who follows me,” Bahati said.