As Uganda on Sunday joined the international community to commemorate World Prematurity Day, parents of premature babies made a heartfelt appeal to the government to extend maternity and paternity leave days.

The current allowance of three months for mothers and just four days for fathers, as this newspaper reported yesterday, is woefully insufficient, forcing parents to choose between their work and the critical needs of their baby.

This publication reports that Mr. Bazilo Kateregga of Preterm Parents Network Uganda highlighted the issue poignantly, emphasizing that caring for a premature baby requires a lot of time. He advocated for an extension to 180 days to ensure mothers do not have to sacrifice their careers for the well-being of their children.

In Uganda, the Employment Act of 2006 is failing to support families during this critical time. An employed woman is only entitled to 60 working days of paid maternity leave, while a husband is only entitled to four working days of paternity leave.

The harsh reality is that many mothers have already lost their jobs due to prolonged hospital stays, highlighting the urgent need for policy change.

Globally, premature birth remains one of the leading causes of death among children under five, with 13.4 million babies born prematurely each year.

To address this disparity, policymakers must consider the long-term benefits of extended leave.

Not only will this improve health outcomes for premature babies, but it will also ease the emotional and financial burden on families. The theme for World Prematurity Day 2024 is “More than 13 million babies are born prematurely every year. Access to quality care everywhere! » highlights the need for universal access to high-quality care.

As the world unites to raise awareness about premature birth, Uganda has the opportunity to lead by example.

There is a need to increase paid maternity leave to at least six months to ensure mothers can provide critical care without jeopardizing their careers. Likewise, we are calling on the Government to significantly increase paternity leave to enable fathers to support their partners and newborns during this vulnerable time.

In other cases, authorities should provide financial assistance and counseling services to families with premature babies to ease emotional and economic strain.

By reviewing its leave policies, the government can demonstrate its commitment to supporting families and ensuring the well-being of its most vulnerable citizens.

It’s time to act and make a meaningful difference in the lives of premature babies and their families.

And now is the time to do it.