The pack of mama kits from government contains 500 grams of cotton wool, baby soap, two razor blades, 2 polythene sheets, two gauze pieces, three surgical gloves, towel and an immunization card. Namugenyi says she forked out Shillings 10,000 to buy the mama kit as opposed to being offered one for free.
Another mother, Saud Nabacwa was referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital from Kawaala Health Center for delivery. Although she had her antenatal sessions at Kawaala health center, she was never given a mama kit.
Nabacwa says she expected to get a free mama kit at Mulago hospital, but she was asked to pay 10,000 Shillings for one. Even after buying the kit, items such as soap and towel were missing from the package she received.
Another mother who spoke to URN on condition of anonymity, says she was only given cotton wool after experiencing heavy bleeding.
Some of the mothers, say they are told the mama kits are out of stock and have to buy them. Once they pay the money, the attendants show up with the mama kits. Every week the maternity ward at Mulago National Referral Hospital receives 360 mama kits, yet the hospital delivers more than 600 mothers. However, even the few mama kits are not given to mothers freely.
A midwife who preferred anonymity said that there is a problem between the transportation of the supplies from the stores to the ward. She says in most cases the mama kits packs are delivered to the wards with missing items most especially soap, towels and cotton, adding that on most occasions they receive fewer kits compared to the mothers in the ward.
Simon Peter Seguya, the head of Mulago Hospital stores says that the hospital has limited human resource to track down the mama kits given to the mothers. He says that in most cases there is no one to ensure that the mothers actually get the kits because it is the labor ward in-charges who pick them from the stores, supply them and make accountability.
Enock Kusasira, the Mulago spokesperson told URN that the hospital management wasn't aware of the illegal sell of mama kits delivered by National Medical Stores. He however, says the hospital is going to look into the complaints.
On Friday last week, Moses Kamabare, the NMS General Manager told journalists that they are closing the this financial year with over 300,000 mama kits.
According to Kamabare, no expectant mother in a government health facility should be made to pay for mama kits because there are already paid for by government. He said given the stock in their stores; no government health facility should turn away an expectant mother on the account of lack of mama kits.