For 25 years, we’ve pioneered a holistic model of care to women, newborns and children alongside our partner, Kiwoko Hospital. Today, the hospital is recognised by Uganda’s Ministry of Health as a Centre of Excellence in newborn care.
This work with Kiwoko is at the heart of our efforts to halve newborn deaths and stillbirths across 10 health facilities in Uganda over the next decade through AdaraNewborn. By leveraging our experience developing a Centre of Excellence with Kiwoko Hospital, we will expand our evidence-based, high-impact model of maternal and newborn care to accelerate change across Uganda.
Throughout this expansion, we are committed to maintaining Kiwoko as a Centre of Excellence by supporting the hospital’s programmes across the continuum of care. It will sit at the heart of our first regional hub as a referral facility that can provide higher levels of care while also modelling what is possible in newborn health.
About Kiwoko Hospital
Founded in 1988, Kiwoko Hospital is an extensive rural hospital dedicated to serving its community. It is a 200-plus-bed non-profit mission hospital occupying a 30-acre site in the Nakaseke district of Central Uganda. It serves a catchment area of around one million people and sees approximately 70,000 patients annually through its five wards, ten clinics and active community based health care programme.
Our work with Kiwoko Hospital
We joined hands with Kiwoko Hospital in 1999. At the time, the hospital had only a small maternity ward and did not offer specialised newborn care. There was a resounding cry from the community for expanded maternal and newborn health services. We listened.
We stood together with Kiwoko to open the hospital’s first neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in 2000. Over the next few years, the hospital would quickly outgrow this space. In 2010, we worked with Kiwoko to open a new expanded NICU and maternity ward to accommodate increasing admissions and save more lives.
After years of continuous improvement, including investment in staff, infrastructure, training and mentorship, equipment and biomedical engineering, Kiwoko is now a leading hospital in Uganda.
The results
50%
reduction in maternal deaths as a proportion of births at Kiwoko Hospital since 2011. Birth have increased by 400% during this period.
86%
survival rate for newborns in the Kiwoko NICU in 2022. In 2008, survival was 77%. This increase is despite an increase in acuity and a 108% rise in admissions.
Meet Immaculate and Joseph
When Immaculate Nakku’s son Joseph was born small and sick, Immaculate realised how lucky she was to have access to a country-leading neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) that could save her son’s life.
Now, thanks to Kiwoko Hospital, Joseph is thriving.
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