Relatives of women who died in childbirth in Uganda sue government

"Relatives of two woman who died in childbirth launched a landmark lawsuit against the Ugandan government Friday to highlight the failure to provide adequate maternal healthcare," Sapa/Agence France-Presse/IOL reports.

"Hundreds of activists and family members gathered at Uganda's constitutional court in Kampala for the start of proceedings that campaigners say could force the government to ramp up spending" on maternal and newborn health, the news agency reports (5/28). "The families, who are supported by Ugandan health advocates and campaigners, argue that women in childbirth are denied the care and facilities they need. There are too few doctors, nurses and trained midwives, maternity units are ill-equipped and there are frequent drug stock-outs. And too many of the staff who are on the units treat women with abuse and contempt," according to the Guardian's "Global Health Blog" (Boseley, 5/27).