Police in Mbale District in eastern Uganda have arrested a 61-year-old traditional birth attendant following the death of a 27-year-old woman who had sought her services after going into labour.

Brenda Namakoye, a mother of three and resident of Nasenyi village in Butaleja District is said to have died after excessive bleeding upon delivery of a baby at the home of Ms Florence Kakai in Luyekhe village in Mbale District.

Mr Rogers Taitika, the Elgon Regional Police Spokesperson, said Namakoye was rushed to Kakai’s home by her husband after experiencing labour pains.

“It's alleged that on Monday night the deceased was rushed to the home of the traditional birth attendant by the husband to deliver. She indeed delivered a baby boy but after a few minutes, she started bleeding profusely,”Mr Taitika said.

Mr Taitika said police preliminary investigations indicate that when Namakoye’s condition worsened, she was put on a motorcycle to be rushed to a nearby health centre but died on the way.

“We have arrested a suspect, who is currently detained at Mbale District central police station to help with investigations,” he said.

Police have preferred charges of rash and negligent act causing death against the suspect.

“We, however, continue to advise our people to seek medical help from professionals for better management,” Mr Taitika said.

By press time, the body had been taken to Mbale City mortuary for postmortem.

However, Namakoye’s death reflects the struggles and experiences many expectant mothers in the rural areas of the district and other parts of Elgon sub region go through in their attempts to bring new life into the world.
Many women in rural areas of the Sub-region still seek antenatal services from traditional birth attendants due to poverty or lack of accessibility to health centres due to long distances or poor road network.

Recent cases

In August this year, another woman identified as Isabel Khamiyat, 22, and a mother of two died with her baby in the hands of traditional birth attendants in Pallisa district.

The government outlawed traditional birth attendants in 2010, arguing they cannot handle hemorrhaging in women, which contributes to 42 percent of maternal deaths.

According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) key indicators report for the sixth Demographic and Health Survey 2016, up to 336 mothers die per 100,000 live births. Although it is a marked decline from 438 deaths per 100,000 live births registered in 2011, the number of mothers dying remains too high