Faith for Family Health initiative(3FHi) Support and Participation in Safe motherhood Conference
Date: October 22 -24, 2025
Venue: Speke Resort Munyonyo, Uganda
Organized by: Ministry of Health Uganda (MOH) and Partners
Supported by: Faith for Family Health Initiative (3FHi), Interfaith and Multisectoral Stakeholders
: #NsMc #nsmc2025 #FaithForFamilyHealth #RMNCAH+N Healthy Aging
On October 22, 2025, the 3 day 5th National Safe Motherhood Conference started at Speke Resort Munyonyo , bringing together interfaith leaders, government officials, CSOs, and health stakeholders to advance reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent health + nutrition (RMNCAH+N), and healthy aging. Organized by the Ministry of Health Uganda with support from Faith for Family Health Initiative (3FHi) and other partners, the event focused on strengthening multisectoral collaboration and mutual accountability to reduce teenage pregnancy, improve safe motherhood outcomes, and promote health equity.
Event Highlights
The conference featured inspiring discussions and calls to action from key speakers, emphasizing inter-faith unity and multisectoral partnerships. Key highlights included:
Jackie Katana, Founder and Executive Director of 3FHi and Chairperson of the RMNCAH+N and Healthy Aging CSO platform, delivered opening remarks stressing the importance of multi-sectoral engagement and mutual accountability. She highlighted critical needs such as recruiting more midwives, strengthening supply chain management with a focus on last-mile distribution, enhancing community engagement through training and rolling out Community Health Extension Workers, allocating more funding for safe motherhood, and bolstering local government structures, especially Health Unit Management Committees (HUMCs).
Inter-faith and multisectoral action was showcased as a pathway to real impact, with 3FHi leading efforts to tackle teenage pregnancy through collaborative partnerships.
Strategies to invest in RMNCAH+N and healthy aging were discussed, including breaking barriers via faith-led initiatives and promoting accountability among stakeholders.
Key Speaker: Jackie Katana urged collective action, noting, "Inter-faith unity + multisectoral action = REAL impact!" and calling for big investments in RMNCAH+N to build healthier families and futures.
Background
Safe motherhood remains a cornerstone of Uganda’s public health agenda, with the Ministry of Health and partners like 3FHi working to address persistent challenges such as high teenage pregnancy rates, maternal mortality, and gaps in nutrition and healthy aging.
Despite progress, barriers include:
- Limited multisectoral coordination leading to fragmented efforts.
- Inadequate recruitment and training of midwives, affecting service delivery.
- Supply chain issues, particularly in last-mile distribution to remote communities.
- Weak community engagement and structures, hindering outreach and accountability.
- Resistance from cultural or faith-based misconceptions, amplified by misinformation.
Through initiatives like the National Safe Motherhood Conference, 3FHi and MOH are fostering inter-faith and multisectoral partnerships to overcome these challenges and achieve sustainable health improvements.
Call to Action
The 5th National Safe Motherhood Conference is a vital step toward health equity and stronger communities in Uganda. 3FHi invites all stakeholders—faith leaders, cultural influencers, policymakers, community members, and health partners—to join in breaking barriers, investing in RMNCAH+N, and promoting healthy aging. Together, we can slash teenage pregnancy rates and ensure safer motherhood for all. Who's with us?
For more information, visit www.3fhi.org or follow @3fhi_ and @jkatana2010 on X for updates.
