Changing maternal and child health in Uganda

Abstract

The process of modernization in developing countries is accompanied by inevitable changes in the patterns of human reproductive activity. The East African country of Uganda illustrates this transition and the challenge it poses for the health professions. In particular, the problem of introducing preventive measures, the fruits of which are deferred, in the face of unmet demand for curative medical help, poses great difficulty. Experience in a program stressing preventive family care is reviewed, and the potential for enhancement of this approach is discussed.