Lack of a blood bank has been blamed for the high number of women dying in Homa Bay after giving birth.
County
director medical services Kevin Osuri said they depend on supplies from the blood bank in Kisumu.
According to Kenya Demographic Health Survey 2014/15, the maternal mortality rate in the area stands
at 583/100,000 live births.
Other factors that lead to the high deaths include
infections, obstructed
labour, and
pregnancy-induced
high blood pressure.
"Despite being the major blood "harvester" in the region. We depend on blood supply from Kisumu," Osuri said.
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He was speaking during an occasion to mark the International Day of Maternal Health on Wednesday.
Osuri said the county government is at the final stage of constructing a blood bank at the main referral hospital.
County assembly Health Committee chairman Maurice Ogwang said the assembly has allocated Sh20 million more for the completion of the blood bank.
He said the committee is in the process of drafting a bill for productive health which will ensure no mother loses life while giving birth.
In 2016, an expectant woman died of excessive bleeding after she was allegedly turned away from Homa Bay county referral hospital.
The woman had sought emergency medical services.
Woman representative Gladys Wanga urged pregnant mothers to ensure they attend Antenatal cares and give birth in hospitals.
She said according to the statistics, only a third of pregnant mothers go to these clinics and only 54 per cent have skilled delivery.
"It is very unfortunate that our mothers still die while giving birth in Homa Bay, we want to ensure that in the near future, there should be no life lost while looking for another life," she said.
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