•Currently, about 75 per cent of women seek maternal services in the facilities compared to only 36 per cent who had access to better maternal services before.
•Residents used to trek for more than 60Kms to access maternal services.
Image: SHABAN OMAR
Maternal deaths in Kwale have reduced from 560 to 35, out of 100,000 live births, county health statistics have shown.
County nursing officer Edward Mumbo attributed the drop to improved health services and the availability of modern facilities.
Mumbo said currently about 75 per cent of women seek maternal service in the facilities compared to only 36 per cent who had access to better maternal services before.
The majority died from birth complications and excess bleeding as they relied on midwives and inferior techniques for a lack of nearby health facilities.
Residents used to trek for more than 60Kms to access maternal services.
Mumbo said before devolution, Kwale had only 75 health facilities.
This, he termed one of the main reasons for the rise in maternal deaths.
However, Mumbo said the trend has now been reversed following the establishment of satisfactory health structures in rural and urban centres.
He said over 135 new health facilities and dispensaries have been set up, most of which have modern maternity wings.
“Out of the 60 new health centres, 56 of them have maternal services,” Mumbo said.
He said the maternity wards also give the best theatre services for pregnant women who need special care.
Mumbo said it is a big step because residents used to rely on Mombasa and Kilifi for caesarean birth services.
At least each subcounty now has a health facility that provides theatre services conducted by professional doctors.
Mumbo said more health practitioners were hired to provide specialised crucial treatment.
He said the region has 510 medical practitioners unlike before when only 210 had been employed.
Mumbo said community health volunteers played a huge role in better healthcare services in Kwale.
He said the grassroots doctors create awareness and sensitisation campaigns on the importance of giving birth in hospitals, attending clinics and immunising the newborns.
Image: SHABAN OMAR
The women are provided with family planning information and how to access them.
In the past, residents used to fear family planning pills and injections because of the misconceptions that they make people impotent and contribute to health complications for women.
Nyando dispensary nurse Emaculate Mwanzia said the number of women giving birth in health facilities has risen since 2019.
She said the area's health dispensary attends to about 68-85 per cent of women giving birth per year.
Mwanzia said a big percentage of women have had safe births and this year zero deaths were recorded.
She said in February, Nyango health dispensary had 11 women who gave birth.
Mwanzia said before they used to record at least two cases per month but the number has now reduced.
Mtumwa dispensary nurse Kombo Suleiman said the home deliveries were sparked by long distances and transport.
He said before there were no roads and vehicles were unable to access the suburb routes.
Suleiman said with the distance none of the women used to make it to the health centres, some died.
Deri dispensary in-charge officer Martin Mwanzia said the home deliveries also increased mortality rates.
He said women were forced to deliver when they are not ready and ended up having immature babies who didn't stay alive for long, for missing advanced equipment to support their lives.
Martin said about 24 women give birth at the Deri health facility every month and attend the clinic.
He said the dispensaries have helped improve the general health of the public and infants.
Nyango resident Tumain Limoshi, a mother of four said women suffered during birth due to a lack of proper monitoring.
She said midwives could not tell if the baby was in good condition and only did guesswork.
Limoshi who recently gave birth to twins said she could have endangered her life and that of her babies, had she delivered at home.
She said the health facility and modern equipment made her realise about the twins and how to deliver them.
Another Priscila Kimani said some pregnant women used to be attacked by wild animals as they seek emergency delivery services during the night.
She is now happy that most health facilities are nearby and women get the desired maternal services.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
Image: SHABAN OMAR