Evans Kidero threatens to halt Govt’s free maternity plan in Nairobi

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero

Nairobi: Government’s plan to offer free maternity services in public hospitals in the city could be cancelled if the Ministry of Health does not reimburse Sh165.1 million it owes Nairobi City County.

Governor Evans Kidero has threatened to cancel the plan and start charging patients seeking the services if the ministry does not reimburse the money.

“In compliance to Central Government directive on provision of free Maternity services, Nairobi City County has an outstanding reimbursement of over nine months amounting to Sh165 million whose details are well within the knowledge of your ministry,” read a letter from Kidero to the Health Cabinet Secretary.

“The situation is untenable, we therefore demand that the re-imbursement be made with immediate effect. We are unable to continue providing the much needed service. We will have no alternative but to revert to charging the services,” said Kidero in the letter dated October 28.

The ministry has in the past said the free maternity programme has been successfully rolled out at a cost of Sh3.8 billion.

During the presidential poll campaigns, the Jubilee Coalition promised to guarantee access to primary health care to all Kenyans, with a special emphasis on children, expectant mothers and persons with disability.

The government promised to improve service provision in the health facilities across the country. Most of the health services are under the County Governments.

In the past, delivery of services in public hospitals has suffered from inadequate manpower, drugs, and medical equipment. Although the ministry has in the past few years run on a budget equivalent to six per cent of the total government budget, that was still below the 15 per cent recommended by global health organisations.

Medics and nurses have complained about poor working conditions, pointing out they are, sometimes, forced, in efforts to save life, expose themselves to danger when they work without protective gear like gloves.

Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia did not respond to our calls and texts. His officials said he is out of the country.