Background Maternal health care is among the key indicators of population health and economic development. Therefore, the study attempted to explore female education and maternal healthcare utilization in Uganda. The study identified the causal effect of introduction of free education by exploiting the age as an instrument at the second stage model (BMC Health Serv Res. 2015. 10.1186/s12913-015-0943-8; Matern Child Health J. 2009;14:988–98). This instrument provided an exogenous source of variation in the years of schooling and allowed to implement a regression discontinuity design which accounted for heterogeneity in the cohort overtime. Methods The study used the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) to help predict years of schooling that were used in the second stage model in the Two Stage Least Squares (2SLS). The study further used the Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) model with a running variable of birth years to observe its effect on education. To control for heterogeneity in regions in the second stage model, a fixed effects model was used. Results Female education indeed had a positive impact on maternal health care utilization. It was further found out that age also influences maternal health care utilization. Conclusions Therefore, as an effort to improve professional maternal health care utilisation, there is need to focus on education beyond primary level. Uganda Government should also ensure that there is an improvement in community infrastructure and security across all regions and locations.

Introduction: Microfinance is an economic tool promoted to extend financial services to the vulnerable groups excluded from the formal financial institutions. The Covid-19 pandemic containment measures disrupted the economic activities of the poor and made it hard for microfinance institutions (MFIs) to reach out to poor. Purpose: This paper sets out to investigate the relationship between microfinance institutions risk management, social mission and financial performance of MFIs during the Covid-19 pandemic in Uganda. The study objectives were to investigate the relationship between risk management and financial performance of MFIs during the Covid-19 pandemic in Uganda and to investigate the relationship between the microfinance social mission and financial performance of MFIs during the Covid-19 pandemic in Uganda. Methodology: This was a cross sectional study that involved 53 respondents conveniently selected from six (6) MFIs from Central Uganda working in the area of credit. The data was collected during the late period of the year 2021 using a self –administered questionnaire and analysed using STATA 12 to generate both descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The study findings revealed the existence of a significant positive relationship between risk management and the social mission (0.88; ); risk management and financial performance (0.91; ); the social mission and financial performance (0.88; ). Collectively, the predictor variables explain 85% of the variation in microfinance financial performance (Adjusted R-squared 0.85; p<0.00). Recommendations: It is recommended that while designing risk management strategies, the focus be put on the social mission that will translate in the attainment of the financial objective. Attempts should be made by policy makers to help MFIs design strategies that integrate the dual bottom line with the triple bottom line.

Microfinance is reported to be an effective tool of empowerment for vulnerable and marginalised groups, especially women. This study set out to investigate the relationship between microfinance services and the clients’ socioeconomic wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic in Uganda. The study involved 73 employees of microfinance institutions that deal directly with the clients. The study findings revealed that while no significant relationship exists between microfinance services and clients’ socioeconomic wellbeing, there is a significant moderate positive relationship between microfinance client protection policies and the clients’ socioeconomic wellbeing. The regression model revealed that a unit increase in client protection policies increases the socioeconomic wellbeing of microfinance services beneficiaries by 72%. It is recommended that microfinance institutions integrate client protection policies in their activities in line with their known social mission

Background: Maternal health care Indicator Is among the key Indicators of population health, health economic development. Therefore, the study attempts to explore female education and maternal healthcare utilization in Uganda. The study identifies the causal effect of introduction of free education, by exploiting the age as an instrument at the second stage model. This instrument provides an exogenous source of variation in the years of schooling and allows to implement a regression discontinuity design, which accounts for heterogeneity in the cohort overtime. Methods: The study also uses the OLS to help predict years of schooling that are used in the second stage model in the 2SLS. The study further uses the RDD model with a running variable of birth years to observe its effect on education. To control heterogeneity in regions in the second stage model, a fixed effects model was used. Results: Female education indeed had a positive impact on maternal health care utilization. It was further found out that age also influences maternal health care utilization.Conclusions: Therefore, as an effort to improve professional maternal health care utilisation, there is need to focus on education beyond primary level. Government should also ensure that there is an improvement in community infrastructure and security across all regions and locations.

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