Busia,Kenya: A Busia County Woman Representative wants a law enacted to compel expectant mothers to deliver in hospitals.
Ms Florence Mutua said this was the only way of reducing the high infant maternal mortality rate in Busia County.
She said since the Jubilee Government has declared free maternal health care in all public hospitals when it came to power, there should be law to compel mothers to deliver in hospitals.
“Government’s policy of providing free maternity services to all mothers is a noble idea, but it has failed to reduce the infant and maternal rates due to many challenges that need to be addressed,” Ms Mutua said.
Inexperienced attendants
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“Despite free maternity being offered in hospitals, a lot of mothers still seek the care of midwives and deliver sometimes under the care of inexperienced and untrained attendants,” she added.
The county Woman Representative who was speaking in Butula constituency in a move to promote her campaign dubbed ‘Deliver in hospital campaign’ noted that most women can’t afford to pay for health services due to poverty, and lack of information.