All set forward of the Company Run for expectant moms
David GOMBE
Enterprise leaders, authorities officers, well being consultants, growth companions and members of the general public have at this time come collectively to formally launch the fourth version of the Company Run, a nationwide charity initiative centered on supporting expectant moms and contributing to the battle in opposition to preventable maternal deaths in Uganda.
The Company Run 2026 will happen on Sunday, eleventh October 2026, at 6:00 a.m. on the NEC Grounds in Bugolobi, Kampala, bringing collectively runners, walkers, company groups, households and members of the general public from throughout the nation.
This 12 months, the Company Run has set an formidable goal of elevating funds to buy 5,000 mama kits, which will probably be provided to well being centres throughout Uganda to help expectant moms, significantly these in communities the place entry to important maternal well being provides stays a problem.
The launch comes at a time when Uganda has made progress in decreasing maternal deaths, however the numbers stay a severe concern. Ten years in the past, Uganda was dropping an estimated 28 moms on daily basis to issues associated to being pregnant and childbirth. At present, that quantity stands at 16.
Whereas the decline represents progress, 16 moms dying on daily basis stays 16 too many.
In Uganda, an estimated 16 moms die on daily basis. Behind every statistic is a mom who didn’t make it residence together with her child, typically due to challenges together with delayed entry to a well being facility, lack of blood for transfusion, unattended issues or the absence of primary provides wanted throughout childbirth.
The mama kits are subsequently on the centre of this 12 months’s Company Run marketing campaign. The proceeds from the initiative will go in direction of buying the kits and supplying them to well being centres throughout the nation, serving to be certain that expectant moms have entry to important objects after they arrive to present start.
A consultant of Ruby Hospital, one of many well being companions represented on the launch, mirrored on Uganda’s progress in maternal well being and the necessity to proceed decreasing preventable deaths.
“Ten years in the past, we have been dropping about 28 moms on daily basis. At present, we’re at 16. We have now made progress, however we should proceed working to carry that quantity down additional, in direction of the 12 advisable beneath World Well being Group requirements. Maternal well being just isn’t solely about drugs, it’s about moms,” the consultant stated.
The Commissioner for Maternal Well being on the Ministry of Well being highlighted the hole between the variety of mama kits presently accessible and the variety of births recorded in Uganda.
“Uganda distributes near 900,000 mama kits yearly in opposition to practically two million births. The Ministry is working in direction of distributing a million mama kits, with every equipment costing roughly 10 {dollars}. While you do the maths, that’s round 10 million {dollars} yearly wanted for mama kits alone,” the Commissioner stated.
The Commissioner additionally emphasised the significance of defending moms and guaranteeing that protected childbirth stays a nationwide precedence.
“Moms are the inspiration of our properties and our nation. Secure supply issues to the continuity of society, and safeguarding moms can’t be left to well being employees alone. It’s the accountability of the entire group,” the Commissioner stated.
He additionally expressed appreciation for the presence of male enterprise leaders on the launch and their willingness to brazenly have interaction in conversations round maternal well being.
“It provides me nice pleasure to see males discussing girls’s points with a lot ardour. When fathers, husbands and enterprise leaders brazenly focus on maternal well being, it stops being seen as solely a girls’s challenge and turns into what it actually is, a nationwide challenge,” he stated.
The launch additionally featured expectant moms who have been welcomed as particular company. Their presence introduced the aim of the Company Run into sharp focus as they applauded the initiative and expressed appreciation for the eye being given to their wellbeing.
For most of the expectant moms current, the marketing campaign despatched a strong message that that they had not been forgotten.
Their participation strengthened the human face of the Company Run and the significance of guaranteeing that conversations about maternal well being stay centred on the moms who finally rely upon the help being mobilised.
For Company Run Chairman Mr. Ian Rumanyika, the trigger is deeply private. Talking on the launch, he emphasised that no mom ought to die whereas giving start and mirrored on an expertise from roughly six to seven years in the past when a colleague left work to present start however tragically by no means returned.
“Six or seven years in the past, a colleague of mine left work to go and provides start, however she by no means got here again. That have stayed with me. It made me realise that this isn’t only a statistic. Behind each quantity is a mom, a household and a life that issues,” Mr. Rumanyika stated.
He famous that with present statistics exhibiting a median of 16 moms dying on daily basis in Uganda, the hazard stays actual for much too many moms and households.
“The fourth version of the Company Run is not only a race. It’s a renewed promise to moms and households that we are going to proceed to point out up and do what we are able to to make childbirth safer,” he stated.
Mr. Rumanyika referred to as on Ugandans to take part in no matter manner they’ll, whether or not by operating, strolling, becoming a member of a company staff, sponsoring the initiative or just exhibiting up on race day.
“Each one that runs, walks, sponsors or just exhibits up turns into a part of the explanation a mom someplace will get the chance to return residence safely together with her child,” he stated.
The launch introduced collectively a large coalition of company and institutional companions, every highlighting why maternal well being is a trigger that requires collective motion.
The Chief Govt Officer of the Non-public Sector Basis Uganda described the Company Run as one of the crucial helpful causes he has had the privilege of taking part in. Reflecting on the story of Isaac Newton, who was born prematurely and went on to make important contributions to the world, he highlighted what society stands to lose when moms and newborns don’t survive.
“Isaac Newton was born prematurely and was thought of very fragile. Had he not survived, the world would have misplaced the discoveries and contributions he later made to physics. Each mom or new child we lose may very well be a future Newton, and that may be a price society can not afford to proceed paying,” he stated.
The Managing Director of BetPawa Uganda reaffirmed the organisation’s dedication to moms and their infants.
“Each mom ought to know that she just isn’t alone. The well being of the mom and the well being of the infant are extraordinarily vital, and all of us have a task to play in defending each,” he stated.
Representing the Capital Markets Authority, PR and Communications Supervisor Lyn Tukie linked the organisation’s help for the initiative to the significance of investing in folks.
“There isn’t a capital with out the folks. As we mark 30 years of constructing Uganda’s capital markets, we’re proud to help a trigger that reminds us that investing in folks, beginning with the security of moms, is the truest type of capital,” Tukie stated.
A consultant of the Kampala Metropolis Merchants Affiliation highlighted the on a regular basis realities confronted by many merchants and households, noting that many merchants wouldn’t have a monetary security web when confronted with emergencies involving expectant moms.
“When a dealer has an expectant mom at residence and wishes to lift cash, generally the primary individual they flip to is the boda boda rider exterior the store. Many merchants wouldn’t have a security web. That’s the reason KACITA is standing with expectant moms,” the consultant stated.
A consultant of Uganda Baati captured the spirit of the marketing campaign in easy phrases.
“This isn’t only a run. It’s a trigger,” the consultant stated.
For Ms. Janet Navugga Bugembe, Founding father of JTB, the trigger is private. She shared her personal expertise of childbirth, recalling that she as soon as spent 21 hours in labour.
“I spent 21 hours in labour, and I do know firsthand what it means to battle to your life and your baby’s life in a supply room. That’s the reason this trigger is private to me. There are moms going via the identical battle, and we should stand with them,” Janet stated.
The President of the Public Relations Affiliation of Uganda, Ms. Irene Nakasita, additionally shared her private expertise of childbirth, recalling that she wanted 5 models of blood throughout labour.
“Giving start is a warfare. Throughout labour, I wanted 5 models of blood. That have made this trigger private for me as a result of I do know there are moms going via the identical warfare, and so they want folks to point out up for them,” Nakasita stated.
A consultant of Uganda Broadcasting Company highlighted the initiative’s twin influence on maternal well being and bodily wellbeing, noting that the Company Run not solely helps moms but in addition encourages folks to remain match and lively.
“This initiative is about saving moms, however it’s also about encouraging us to remain match and wholesome. As a father of daughters, this trigger is especially vital to me as a result of finally, we’re preventing to guard girls,” the consultant stated.
On the coronary heart of the 2026 marketing campaign is the dedication to ship tangible help to well being centres and expectant moms. The goal of 5,000 mama kits represents a name to motion for corporations, establishments, households and people to contribute to a trigger the place participation can translate instantly into sensible help for moms.
The Company Run is an initiative beneath Company Video games Uganda, bringing collectively organisations and people via sport, wellness and social influence.
Registration for the Company Run 2026 is now open. Members of the general public, company groups and companion organisations are inspired to register early forward of race day on Sunday, eleventh October 2026.
The organisers are calling on corporations, establishments, households, people and growth companions to hitch the motion by operating, strolling, sponsoring or mobilising others to take part.
Each runner, walker, company staff and supporter who joins the Company Run provides their voice and contribution to a rising nationwide motion decided to make preventable maternal deaths in Uganda a factor of the previous.
