The death of Kalangala District Woman MP Hellen Nakimuli, 40, at Alexandra Medical Centre on Sunday goes beyond yet another high-profile loss. The legislator reportedly drove herself to the private facility for a uterine fibroids removal procedure, but never regained consciousness, raising serious questions about what may have gone wrong. By press time, a post-mortem report from Mulago National Specialised Hospital remained inconclusive, with further investigations ongoing, including at Alexandra Medical Centre, where she died. Uterine fibroids, growths that can cause excessive bleeding, severe pain, anaemia, and infertility, are increasingly becoming a major health concern. Yet, science has not established a definitive cause. Cases have been reported among teenagers and women in their early twenties, despite fibroids being largely benign. There has long been a belief that delaying or avoiding childbirth contributes to the condition, based on the idea that the uterus “finds alternative uses” for its space. However, studies have since debunked this theory. Research shows that uterine fibroids are two to three times more prevalent among Black women worldwide compared to Caucasians. At the same time, sub-Saharan Africa has the highest fertility rates globally, yet fibroids remain widespread. In contrast, women in other regions are having fewer children, but fibroids are not as prevalent. This challenges the argument that reproductive choices are to blame for cases like Nakimuli’s, where women suffer, and in some cases, lose their lives. These contradictions point to a clear gap in understanding.There is an urgent need for more research into uterine fibroids, their causes, prevention, and treatment. The responsibility now falls on the government to invest in this area, not just because a legislator has died, but because many others have suffered before her. Some women have undergone hysterectomies, losing their uteruses and ovaries. Others continue to battle infertility and chronic pain in silence. Uterine fibroids may not attract the same level of attention as other non-communicable diseases, but that does not diminish the pain and emotional toll they impose, especially on women who cannot afford advanced medical care. Initiatives like the Kabaka Birthday Run deserve recognition. For 13 editions, they have championed and funded critical health causes, from fistula repair to HIV/Aids awareness. Perhaps the time has come to expand that focus. Could neglected conditions such as endometriosis, prostate gland enlargement and uterine fibroids be next on the organisers’ to-do list?The post Don’t let Hon. Nakimuli’s death be in vain appeared first on The Observer.