Well On their Way believes that no matter where in the world a pregnant woman presents to deliver her baby, she should leave that facility alive and in good health, with a healthy baby in her arms.

With your support, you can help us fulfill our mission. 

Well On their Way is a group of American physicians and Ugandan clinicians working in partnership to improve delivery outcomes of mothers and babies in the Gulu District of northern Uganda, a region torn apart and recovering from a 20-year war. Based on recent data from UNICEF, a newborn in Uganda is four times as likely to die within the first 28 days of life than a newborn in the United States.  

Preterm birth is the leading cause of death for children under 5 worldwide. 

This January, the US WOtW team will return to Gulu District and deliver another WHO (World Health Organization) training program: Care if High Risk of Preterm Birth. The Ugandan WOtW team specifically requested this invaluable training to address their District’s crucial issue.

Care if High Risk of Preterm Birth training will build upon the US team’s work performed since 2013 to reduce newborn and maternal mortality. To ensure every Ugandan health care provider, whether a clinical officer, midwife or nurse, in even the most remote two room clinic has the equipment, skills, and knowledge to correctly identify and manage maternal and newborn emergencies, WOtW delivers training developed by the WHO specifically for health care providers working in resource limited countries. Thus far five evidence-based training programs have been implemented:  

• Helping Babies Breathe/Essential Newborn Care 1 (providing immediate ventilation for babies born with asphyxia)
• Essential Care of Every Baby/Essential Newborn Care 2 (important care and assessment within the first 24 hours of life)
• Bleeding After Birth (management of the mother with post-partum hemorrhage)
• Essential Care for Labor and Delivery
• Pre-Eclampsia/Eclampsia (identifying, managing and appropriately referring this life-threatening illness)

The US and Uganda teams train the Ugandan trainers, who have since trained over 100 local health care providers at 26 health centers, scattered from each other in this very remote, impoverished region. Recent data from the Ugandan Ministry of Health show that babies in Gulu District have an increased chance of survival than babies in nearby comparable districts.

Trainings provided by the US and Uganda WOtW teams are making a difference!

As you know, however, knowledge and skills get lost if they are not periodically refreshed. WOtW addresses this year-round by providing:

• The means for every health care worker to keep his/her skills and knowledge updated, through rotating eight week refresher courses, right at the worker’s own health center. 
• Training of the five core curricula annually to every newly hired nurse, midwife and clinical officer in Gulu District.

Equipment, training, transportation…they all cost money, but your dollar goes a long way in Uganda.  See how your donation works: 

Please join us in making sure that every mother and baby in Gulu District receives appropriate care at delivery giving them the best chances for a healthy start…so they are Well On their Way...and make your contribution even more powerful by sharing this via email, word of mouth, and social media.

We appreciate your one time donation and kindly ask you to consider becoming a monthly donor.

Thank you, Asante sana, Afoyo

The Well On their Way team

The WOtW team: From left to right: Dr. Matthew Kane, Public Health Nurse Richard Nyeko Ssemujju, District Health Officer Dr. Kenneth Canna, Dr. Ann Markes, Assistant District Health Officer Anena Grace, Master Midwife Susan Apiyo, Medical Coordinator and Midwife Monica Akello, Dr. Megan Carmel, and Master Midwife Jacqueline Olanya Grace.