Stanbic Bank Leads Drive To Transform Maternal Healthcare In Ntungamo

By Gad Masereka

NTUNGAMO — For years, expectant mothers in Rubaare Sub-county faced a grim choice: endure the strain of an overwhelmed health facility or travel long distances to find care they could barely afford. That reality is now changing, following a UGX 20 million medical equipment donation by Stanbic Bank Uganda to the newly constructed Mama Kariisa Maternity Ward at Rubaare Health Centre IV, in a partnership with the Rotary Club of Kigo that signals a growing private sector commitment to maternal health in underserved communities.

Brenda Kwarisiima, a mother and Rubaare resident, remembers the desperation that defined those years. “For years, we had to wait for hours or be referred elsewhere, because the facility could not handle the large numbers. We were often forced to seek health services as far as Itojo Hospital, which was very expensive for rural people like us who survive hand to mouth,” she said. Her account captures what health workers and local leaders have long described as a structural crisis at a facility serving one of Uganda’s more densely populated districts.

Ntungamo District stretches across more than 2,056 square kilometres and is home to over 500,000 people. At Rubaare Health Centre IV, the gap between population demand and available infrastructure had grown into a persistent threat to safe motherhood.

Inadequate beds, limited delivery rooms and stretched health workers created conditions where preventable complications became common. Naome Kabasharira, the area Member of Parliament, said the strain on the facility had placed both mothers and newborns at serious risk, with delays and scarce resources frequently translating into tragedy.

The Mama Kariisa Maternity Ward was constructed in memory of the late Hasiinah Kariisa, mother of businessman and Rotarian Kin Kariisa, whose desire to honour her legacy shaped the project’s vision.

The facility represents a privately driven effort to fill gaps that public investment alone has struggled to close. Stanbic Bank’s donation of eight modern patient beds, two delivery beds and 100 mama kits now equips that ward to begin delivering the quality of care the community has long been denied.

The Minister of State for Health (General Duties), Hanifa Kawooya, presided over the handover as Guest of Honour and used the occasion to commend the convergence of family commitment, corporate responsibility and civic action. “I commend the Kariisa family, Stanbic Bank and the Rotary Club of Kigo for this noble gesture,” she said, adding that the government would prioritise installation of an operating theatre at the facility to build on the foundation now in place.

Diana Ondoga, Stanbic Bank’s Manager for Corporate Social Investment, said the Rubaare intervention is consistent with the bank’s broader Positive Impact Agenda, which spans job creation, infrastructure support, financial inclusion, climate resilience and community philanthropy. “Uganda is our home, and we are committed to driving its growth. Supporting maternal health is one of the most impactful ways we can invest in the future of our communities,” she said.

Since 2021, Stanbic Bank has donated more than 23,000 mama kits and medical supplies to 85 health facilities across Uganda, including Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Rukoki Hospital in Kasese, Adjumani Hospital and Gombe Hospital in Mpigi, among others.

Adrine Bright Twesigye, the bank’s Ntungamo branch manager, said the work in the district connects local action to global commitments. “Our work here in Ntungamo and beyond aligns with global development priorities, including the Sustainable Development Goals on Good Health and Well-being, Gender Equality and Partnerships for the Goals,” she said.

For Kin Kariisa, the handover carried profound personal meaning. “This maternity ward is deeply personal to me. It represents not just a tribute to my mother, but a commitment to ensuring that mothers in rural Uganda have access to dignified and safe healthcare services,” he said.

Emmanuel Katongole, a prominent Rotarian and business leader, echoed that sentiment, noting that partnerships of this nature are essential to addressing community health challenges at scale and that maternal health remains a central priority for the Rotary movement.

District health officials said the upgraded ward is expected to ease congestion, improve service delivery and contribute to a measurable reduction in maternal and neonatal mortality in the area.

For Brenda Kwarisiima, the transformation is already visible and the hope it carries is real. “Now we can come here and feel safe. Everything inside the building is very new, and it gives us confidence that both mothers and babies will be cared for properly,” she said. Her words reflect what officials and partners hope the Mama Kariisa Maternity Ward will come to represent: not just a building, but a turning point in how rural Uganda cares for its mothers.