A dramatic and heart-touching scene unfolded on Lake Victoria as a yet-to-be-identified woman gave birth on a canoe boat while being transported to a health facility in Kalangala District.The incident captured on video has gone viral on social media, drawing attention to the healthcare challenges faced by the island communities.
The video, shared by Kalangala District Woman MP Hellen Nakimuli, shows a group of people assisting the mother and her newborn baby after an emergency delivery on the water.
“A lady from Lulamba gives birth in the middle of the lake on her way to Kalangala Health Center IV because her island of Abode has no health center that could handle her! The water ambulance from the Ministry of Health to Kalangala doesn’t get enough fuel for such emergency cases; it’s therefore always packed! Not forgetting that the NDPIV doesn’t have fuel for water ambulances for the next 5 years!!! The government of Uganda thinks these boats shall consume water!!! Shame!!! Thanks to IDI for that quick response,” Nakimuli posted.
The individual who recorded the video narrated the incident, stating, “On our journey to Lulamba, we found a distressed call in the middle of the water. A lady had given birth in the boat as they were heading to Kalangala Health Center IV for delivery, and our team of dedicated health workers, supported by the Infectious Disease Institute, branched off to save the baby and the mother. We thank God; both the mother and the baby are alive.”
The video has sparked discussions about the neglect of emergency medical services in remote island districts and the prioritization of non-essential expenditures over critical healthcare infrastructure.
The incident underscores the urgent need for interventions to improve healthcare services for island communities.
