In a meaningful effort to address critical healthcare gaps in Eastern Uganda, Pathways to Hope Africa (PTHA) has joined forces with Jinja Regional Referral Hospital to improve conditions for expectant mothers and their premature infants. This partnership arose in response to the hospital’s urgent request for support in constructing a maternity shelter for mothers whose babies require care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Many mothers travel long distances from rural areas to give birth at Jinja Hospital. When their babies are born prematurely, they are often discharged without a safe place to recover or care for their infants in the NICU. These mothers endure extreme weather conditions while remaining close to their newborns. Recognizing this urgent need, Jinja Hospital sought PTHA’s assistance in creating a secure and dignified refuge for these women.
PTHA responded by leveraging its international network and reaching out to the University of Maryland in the United States for technical expertise. The university’s Capstone Program assigned a team of civil engineering students to design and develop plans for a maternity shelter and to expand the NICU at Jinja Hospital.
On January 10th, 2025, the University of Maryland team departed for Uganda, where they spent a week collaborating with PTHA Teams and Jinja Hospital staff and local stakeholders to initiate the early planning stages. Their on-the-ground research was geared towards informing the design and construction process, ensuring that the project effectively meets the needs of mothers and newborns alike.
Highlights from the recent concluded trip to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital in Jinja, Uganda.
Project Goals
A Comfortable Maternity Shelter equipped with essential amenities. The shelter will offer mothers a safe space to rest and care for their own health while staying near their premature infants.
An Expanded NICU
Improvements to the NICU will ensure enhanced care for pre-mature babies, including modern medical equipment and expanded capacity to accommodate more infants.
How You Can Partner.
The project will be implemented in phases, starting with the maternity shelter and followed by the NICU expansion. PTHA is actively seeking partnership support to make this project a reality.
Here’s how you can contribute to this initiative through donations:
Towards provisions of bedding and hygiene supplies for the mothers.
The mother's shelter construction.
Contribute towards the NICU expansion.
Towards the procurement of essential medical equipment for the NICU.
Donate to the overall infrastructure development of the maternity shelter and NICU.
PTHA and UMD Teams visiting the NICU facilities and interview stakeholders at Jinja Regional Referrals
Donations can be made through our Get Involved page, and for further information, please feel free Contact us. Together, we can create a safer, healthier environment for mothers and their newborns in Eastern Uganda.