Women living in rural areas of Kwale county have embraced hospital delivery services instead of home births to avoid death and complications.
The women said county campaigns about sexual reproductive and good maternal healthcare information has largely transformed their lives.
The health reproductive services are offered by the Fanikisha Foundation, Beyond Zero initiative in partnership with the county Health department.
Led by Mwanapili Ali from Mirihini village in Mkongani, Matuga subcounty, the women said the majority of them seek medical assistance immediately after conception.
They said home delivery services have not worked for some of them, translating into deaths for infants and their mothers.
“We stopped giving birth at home because mothers developed serious problems during and after delivery, some that cost their lives,” Ali said.
She said the complications include abdominal pain and excessive bleeding that require medical expertise.
Ali said some people need caesarean section services that midwives cannot offer and have no knowledge about it.
She said at the health facility chances of survival for the newborn and the mother are high compared to giving birth at home.
“We realised that at the hospital, you will get all the help you need, like immunisation injections, regular check-ups and information on how to live healthy,” she said.
The women said they also opted to go for medical services due to fear of contracting diseases such as HIV-Aids.
They said home delivery endangers the lives of the mother, the baby and the midwife because they lack proper protective gears.
Binti Hamisi from Golini said she narrowly escaped death during her first pregnancy when she attempted to deliver at home.
She said the baby was too big to be naturally delivered so she had to be rushed to hospital for advanced treatment.
Since then, she vowed to seek clinical services in nearby health dispensaries.
She lauded the county government for improving healthcare for women, saying it has encouraged many mothers in remote villages to give birth in hospital given many services are free.
Governor Salim Mvurya said his government has invested a lot in the health sector in which various standard maternity wards have been set up for safe delivery.
Edited by EKibii
