Equitable Health: a far-away dream for young girls and women in Uganda?

This case reveals the reproductive health challenges young people face in Uganda that predispose them to maternal mortality, and invites to discussion of the responsibilities and opportunities for local leaders. It references concerns of teenage pregnancy reported in Jinja District during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the 2020 District Health Office report, 17% of women who attended Antenatal care were teenage girls 10–19 years old (Office of the PM, 2021). The scenario further shows the difficulty many women experience in accessing reproductive health information and services.

Learning objectives:

By the end of this scenario participants/learners will be able to:

• Identify health inequities associated with maternal health,
• Appreciate the underlying social determinants of the inequities within their localities,
• Examine the system and leadership failure or weakness underlying the burden of maternal mortality to women within their localities,
• Articulate the most feasible strategies leaders and communities can do to address the maternal health inequities within their localities, and
• Take agency in implementing the identified strategies.