MTN Uganda has concluded its 2026 21 Days of Y’ello Care campaign with a major intervention to strengthen maternal and newborn healthcare at Karita Health Centre IV in Amudat District, one of Uganda’s most remote communities.
The telecommunications company, together with its partners, donated medical equipment and supplies, solar power systems and information and communications technology equipment to support healthcare delivery at the facility.
Village Health Teams (VHTs) also received bicycles and smartphones, while health workers were trained in digital health systems as part of efforts to improve access to healthcare services in hard-to-reach communities.
MTN Uganda said the interventions made at four health centres during the campaign were valued at more than Shs600 million.
Karita Health Centre IV was the final stop of the campaign, following similar interventions at Kibiito Health Centre IV in Bunyangabu District, Maddu Health Centre IV in Gomba and Kiyunga Health Centre IV in Luuka.
The campaign was conducted under the theme “Expand Equitable Health for Every Community” and focused on improving access to healthcare through technology, community mobilisation and partnerships.
Dennis A. Kakonge, General Manager, Corporate Services and Company Secretary at MTN MoMo, said the company’s intervention was aimed at ensuring that communities benefit from technology and improved access to essential services.
“We at MTN Uganda believe that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life,” Kakonge said.
“It is about connecting people to information, connecting healthcare workers to the tools they need, and connecting communities to services and opportunities.”
Tackling maternal and newborn deaths
The intervention comes as Uganda continues to make progress in reducing maternal and newborn deaths, although challenges remain, particularly in remote areas where access to specialized healthcare is limited.
Uganda’s maternal mortality ratio has declined to 189 deaths per 100,000 live births, from 336 a decade ago. However, the figure remains above the Sustainable Development Goal target of fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.
Neonatal mortality has also fallen from 27 to 22 deaths per 1,000 live births, but remains above the SDG target of 12 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Karita Health Centre IV serves more than 40,000 people in Amudat and neighbouring communities, including populations living near the Uganda-Kenya border.
Access to specialised medical services remains a major challenge for residents. Moroto Regional Referral Hospital is about 200 kilometres away, while Amudat Hospital is approximately 90 kilometres from Karita.
Some residents reportedly cross into Kenya to access healthcare services at Kacheliba Hospital, which is about 20 kilometres away.
During the Y’ello Care activities, residents at Karita benefited from medical screening, patient registration, health education and the provision of medical supplies.
Health workers were trained in the Electronic Medical Records Information System, while VHTs received training in digital skills.
MTN MoMo also conducted financial literacy sessions, including sensitisation on MoMo Cover.
Dr George Ogwang, the in-charge of Karita Health Centre IV, said the support would strengthen the facility’s ability to respond to the needs of its growing catchment population.
“The medical equipment, solar support and other interventions will strengthen our ability to provide quality services and respond to patients more effectively,” he said.
Dr Andrew Munerya, acting District Health Officer for Amudat, said partnerships between government and the private sector were critical in extending services to hard-to-reach communities.
“The investments in equipment, digital health, renewable energy and community health strengthen the health system and complement government efforts to improve maternal and newborn health,” he said.
State Minister for Karamoja Affairs Esther Anyakun, who was chief guest at the handover ceremony, said the government was working to improve healthcare services in remote parts of the country.
“Facilities such as Karita Health Centre IV serve communities that are far from regional referral hospitals. We are working hard as government to ensure that such facilities have the equipment, medicines and skilled personnel needed to provide timely and quality care,” Anyakun said.
She welcomed MTN Uganda and its partners for complementing government efforts to strengthen healthcare services in underserved communities.
The campaign brought together players from the private sector, government and civil society, highlighting the role of partnerships in addressing healthcare challenges.
Prof Diana Nandagire Ntamu, Director of the Entrepreneurship Centre at Makerere University Business School, said no single institution could address the country’s social challenges alone.
“Government is doing everything it can, but it cannot reach everyone with everything,” she said. “The way we address our social challenges must therefore be through collective action.”
Diana Ondoga, Corporate Social Investment Manager at Stanbic Bank Uganda, said investment in healthcare had implications beyond the provision of social services.
“Healthcare is not simply a social service. It is a foundation for human development, productivity and prosperity,” she said.
The 2026 21 Days of Y’ello Care campaign was initially scheduled for June but was moved to August following an Ebola outbreak in Uganda and the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
MTN Uganda said the programme is part of its Ambition 2030 strategy, which seeks to leverage technology, partnerships and the company’s wider network to expand access to essential services.
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