Charlotte Kainerugaba, the National Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH) champion and wife of General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has called for stronger community awareness and faster medical response to curb maternal deaths linked to excessive bleeding after childbirth.
She was speaking on Saturday, June 13, 2026, during World Blood Donor Day celebrations held at the Uganda Blood Transfusion Services (UBTS) headquarters in Nakasero.
Charlotte, who also donated blood during the event, emphasized that reducing maternal mortality requires collective responsibility across all levels of society.
She urged families, health workers, leaders and communities to work together in identifying danger signs during pregnancy and after delivery.
“We all have a role… We must raise awareness so families recognise dangerous signs in pregnancy and after birth. We must make sure mothers are referred quickly to facilities that can help,” she said.
She further stressed that postpartum haemorrhage remains one of the leading causes of maternal deaths, noting that survival depends on timely access to specialised care.
According to her, emergency response within the first two hours is critical.
“When excessive bleeding after childbirth occurs, a mother must be in the care of skilled healthcare practitioners and receive a full bundle of timely medical interventions, including blood products, to survive. These life-saving treatments must be given within two hours to achieve the best outcome,” she said.
Charlotte also used the platform to rally Ugandans to support voluntary blood donation under the global theme, “One Drop of Humanity, Give Blood, Save Lives.”
She reminded the public that blood cannot be manufactured or substituted.
“Blood cannot be bought or manufactured. It comes from people like us. Let’s stand with the Ministry of Health and donate a unit of blood. Your gift will protect countless lives of mothers and babies and strengthen our communities,” she added.
Local Government Minister Balaam Ateenyi praised her advocacy, describing it as a significant contribution to maternal health awareness and national blood donation efforts.
“Thank you, Mrs. Charlotte Kainerugaba, for championing blood donation and raising awareness in the fight against maternal mortality. Your dedication… is helping to save lives and inspire many,” he said, adding that the initiative is bringing renewed hope to families across the country.
Health officials at UBTS noted that sustained public participation in blood donation campaigns remains essential in addressing emergency shortages in hospitals nationwide.