The family of 38-year-old Diana Kogere is demanding an independent investigation to establish the exact cause of her death and that of her unborn baby.
Kogere, a resident of Kiko Town Council in Kabarole district, western Uganda, died on March 28 at Rutete health centre IV. Her family alleges medical negligence. According to Kogere’s mother, Topista Katusabe, Kogere was taken to the health centre at around 8:00 am after labour pains began.
She was admitted and examined by a midwife, who reportedly found her three centimetres dilated, with both mother and baby in stable condition. Katusabe said they were advised to let her walk around and take warm water to support the progression of labour.
At about 11:00 am, Kogere was re-examined and the family was again told that labour was progressing normally. However, by 4:00 pm, she remained in labour without significant progress.
At around 6:00 pm, Kogere reportedly became extremely weak and requested to be reviewed by a doctor or referred to a higher facility. Judith Kinkuhire, who had accompanied her, said a midwife contacted a doctor identified as Dr Sam at around 7:59 pm.
According to Kinkuhire, the doctor indicated he was in Fort Portal town, about 15 minutes away, and would arrive shortly. However, he reportedly arrived nearly three hours later, at about 10:45 pm, and ordered that Kogere be taken to theatre.
About 20 minutes after she was wheeled in, the doctor returned and informed the family that she had died during the procedure. The baby also did not survive. The family says they were not given a clear explanation of the complications that necessitated surgery or the exact cause of death.
Kinkuhire further alleges that the doctor appeared intoxicated when communicating the death and declined to issue a death certificate, saying the case would only be recorded in hospital records.
Kogere’s sister, Janet Kangume, said district authorities later convened a harmonisation meeting involving health officials, the facility in charge, the doctor in question and family members.
She said officials presented a report describing Kogere as a high-risk mother and alleging that she had previously sought services from a traditional birth attendant — claims the family strongly rejects.
The meeting ended without consensus after the family disputed the findings. Katusabe is now calling for an independent investigation, warning that the family will pursue legal action if justice is not served.
Kabarole district chairperson Richard Rwabuhinga said the district health department had conducted an audit and submitted its findings to the ministry of Health, which will issue a comprehensive report after review.
Kogere is survived by five children, the eldest currently in Senior Two. Globally, an estimated 260,000 women die each year from pregnancy-related causes, according to the World Health Organisation, underscoring persistent gaps in maternal healthcare.
