Over 1000 mothers and their newborns at different health facilities in Kampala are set to receive support in form of mother kits under the newly launched the Gifting Hands initiative dubbed “Ggaba Essanyu.”
The initiative by Baby Junior, of the the brands under cosmetics company Movit Products Limited, is a part of the Corporate Society for Safe Motherhood (CMS) initiative where at least 30 corporate private organizations are mobilizing resources for improvement of health services through selected projects, in partnership with the Ministry of Health.
At Kawempe National Referral Hospital, up to 200 mothers received mother starter kits with assorted items including Baby Junior Soap, Jelly, Oil and powder, branded hygiene buckets, T-shirts and other items to 200 mothers and their babies at the hospital.
Toluwaleke Salu, the Group Chief Category and Innovations Officer said this intervention was meant to support the reduction of maternal and infant mortality in Uganda
Salu also commended the health professionals at the hospital for the job they are doing in providing the best health care to mothers and their babies.
On his part, the Ministry of Health Spokesperson Mr. Emmanuel Ainebyona commended the company for adhering to the commitment made at the launch of the Corporate Society of Safe Motherhood Initiative.
Ainebyona said the initiative would go a long way in supporting the Government’s efforts to improve the Health Sector in Uganda.
Speaking at the event the Head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Mr. Robert Kitenda revealed that the campaign will extend to other nine hospitals across Metropolitan Kampala reaching almost 1,000 mothers and their babies.
“Giving back to communities where we operate is a key pillar in our CSR and collaborating with the ministry to drive the Safe Motherhood initiative is a great platform for us to partake in while we implement some of the pillars that are valuable to the business,” he said.
Receiving the items, Dr Emmanuel Byaruhanga, Executive Director Kawempe National Referral Hospital, said they were determined to continue offering the best health care and drastically reduce maternal and child mortality at the facility.
He said although there had been times of difficulty, they would not be deterred by that, but would work hard to protect the lives of mothers and children.
He expressed gratitude to Movit Products for the gesture and called on other corporate bodies, individuals, and groups, to emulate such an example.
The Baby Junior team together with the Hospital administrators and Ministry of Health representatives later toured the maternity ward, interacted with the mothers and sensitized them on some basic hygiene needs, which are most often overlooked.