Rose is a 17-year-old girl living in Kajjansi, Uganda. She was enrolled in our maternal health program on June 27th, 2025, when she was already eight months pregnant. That was also when she began antenatal care at St. Magdalene Health Centre.
Prior to that, Rose had not received any antenatal services due to financial constraints. She had been saving small amounts, hoping it would be enough to deliver at Kajjansi Health Centre IV. With support from our program, she was able to attend two antenatal visits—her only ones during the pregnancy.
On the night of August 4th, 2025, at around 11:00 p.m., Rose began experiencing severe abdominal pain. She assumed she was going into labor, especially since her scan had indicated July 29th as her due date. Using the emergency referral card provided by our program, she went to St. Magdalene Health Centre.
After examination, the midwives found that her cervix was still closed—this was not labor. Instead, Rose had a severe urinary tract infection (UTI). She was given medication immediately. However, when she returned the next day for a follow-up dose, her cervix had opened, signaling the onset of labor. The midwives and Sister Domitrio explained that the infection likely triggered early labor.
Rose was admitted, and labor progressed slowly. She remained in labor for over 30 hours. By the early hours of the second night, she developed maternal distress, and the baby began showing signs of fatigue. At 3:00 a.m., the midwives made a critical decision to refer her to Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital using the St. Magdalene ambulance.
St. Magdalene is equipped for normal deliveries but lacks the capacity to manage high-risk cases such as prolonged labor, hypertension, twin pregnancies, or surgical emergencies. Entebbe Hospital, however, is staffed with doctors on call, has better-equipped facilities, and can perform emergency procedures.
When Rose arrived at Entebbe Hospital, her condition was critical. She was exhausted, in distress, and no longer able to push. The baby, weighing 3.7 kg, was too large for a safe vaginal delivery—especially for a 17- year-old. An emergency Caesarean section was performed immediately. Thanks to this timely intervention, both mother and baby survived.
This outcome could have been tragically different if Rose had attempted to deliver at home or in an unsafe environment. As Nurse Winnie explained, had Rose been in a brothel or without skilled care, it’s very likely both she and her baby would not have survived.
The Financial Impact
Had Rose delivered normally at St. Magdalene, the cost would have been significantly lower. However, the emergency referral and C-section at Entebbe increased the total expenses considerably—placing an unplanned strain on our already limited budget.
We are deeply grateful to GHP and all your partners for making it possible to provide life-saving interventions like these. Rose and her baby are alive today because of your support.
