Government and private stakeholders have been urged to tackle the rising number of preterm births in Uganda, with statistics indicating that more than 200,000 babies are born prematurely every year.
Preterm babies are infants born before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy, often weighing less and with underdeveloped organs such as the lungs, brain, and liver.
Elizabeth Turaha, Founder of Maama Tulia Ministries, highlighted the urgency of the problem, citing the growing numbers and associated health risks.
‘In Uganda, over 200,000 babies are born preterm every year, and prematurity is the second leading cause of neonatal death after birth asphyxia. We have seen that preterm babies are still growing. So, we need to do a lot. We need everyone on board to come and we do this together,’ she said.
‘As Maama Tulia, right now we are focusing on retinopathy of prematurity because we have seen cases of babies becoming blind. So this year we have screened more than 1,500 babies of retinopathy of prematurity, and 300 babies that had retinopathy of prematurity,’ she added.
Ms Turaha made the remarks on Thursday, 20 November 2025, during the announcement of a fundraising partnership with SMACK Pirates Association, an alumni group of St Mary’s College, Kisubi, aimed at raising funds to support preterm babies. The initiative, which takes on Sunday, November 23, coincides with World Prematurity Day, observed annually on November 17.
Explaining the causes of prematurity, Ms Turaha said: ‘For prematurity, the causes, I can say, there are so many risk factors of having a preterm baby. First of all, my case was preeclampsia, high blood pressure during pregnancy. That is one of the causes. And also, if you are young, under 18 years, you have a chance of having a preterm baby. Or if you are sickle cell, malaria, and malnourished, and infections, those are the causes.’
She added: ‘Yes, for the risk factors of prematurity, a baby who is born under 32 weeks, and also this baby may be a low birth weight. And also, if this baby has been on oxygen for more than two weeks, and also infections, those babies can have retinopathy of prematurity.’
Dr Anyase Ronald Amaza, the chairman of SMACK Pirates Association, also stressed the lack of awareness about preterm birth.
‘And we realized that prematurity is something which is neglected. I’m a pharmacist, but I don’t know much about it, surprisingly. Many of our doctor colleagues also don’t know much about it, because they do not work in that sphere. If we, the health workers, are not as aware, then what about the public? That means we need more and more support for them. And when we got to know that Maama Tulia needs support, as pirates, we said we’ll support them,’ he said.
Dr Amaza added: ‘We said, no, we’ll support you the entire way, more than a year, and we shall follow through to ensure that there’s a great impact. Luckily, I’m a medical person, so I’ll follow through the entire time. I don’t know up to when, but I want to see babies have a better life, and if we can save more Ugandans, it will be something great for all of us.’
The upcoming fundraising event is scheduled for Sunday, November 23, 2025, at the Sports Grounds of the International University of East Africa (IUEA), Kansanga, Kampala.
The event will feature a purple ribbon campaign, symbolising solidarity with preterm infants, alongside soft engagement and interactions between fans, teams, and parents. A dedicated Mama Tulia Ministries booth will offer guidance, fundraising support, and educational materials on prematurity, while a Neonatal/Child Health Specialist from the Uganda Ministry of Health will deliver a brief keynote address highlighting national efforts to address preterm births.
Maama Tulia, a non-profit organisation, works with vulnerable mothers of premature babies by addressing their physical, economic, spiritual, and emotional needs. Ms Turaha said the organisation aims to screen 5,000 babies this year, expanding services to hospitals in Central and Western Uganda, including Buera Hospital in Kasese and the Chinese Hospital in Naguru.