- Official data shows that only 12 per cent of women in the county giver birth in hospital.
- Promoting hospital delivery, the county says, will lower infant deaths at delivery stage.
Women who deliver in the hospital will receive an assortment of gifts, the Busia administration has said.
The county hopes the scheme will encourage more women to give birth in health facilities for better maternal outcomes.
Giving birth in the hospital, the county said on Monday, will lower the death of infants at the delivery stage as the exercise will be done under the watch of qualified healthcare workers.
Governor Sospeter Ojaamong said there is still a high number of women giving birth at home despite the risks associated with home deliveries which are mostly done under no supervision of qualified health personnel.
“We have already budgeted for this programme that will see mothers who deliver in public health institutions receive an assortment of goods to start life with,” Ojaamong said.
“Community health volunteers will also be helping in ensuring more mothers attend clinics.”
The county chief, however, did not reveal the amount of money allocated for the programme. He also did not publicise the kind of gifts women will receive.
Ojaamong said the health docket receives the largest share of his administration’s annual budget and part of that allocation will be invested in running the project, he said.
Data from the five-year County Integrated Development Plan for 2018-22 shows that Busia needs to do more in encouraging mothers to deliver in hospital.
According to the available statistics, only 12 per cent of pregnant women in Busia give birth in health facilities.
Ojaamong was speaking while addressing the press before flagging off three vehicles purchased with funds from the World Bank through the Transforming Health Systems programme.
The governor said his government wants to encourage mothers to attend ante-natal clinics and deliver in public hospitals.
The vehicles launched will help facilitate movement across the seven subcounties of Matayos, Teso South, Teso North, Butula, Nambale, Samia and Bunyala in the fight against Covid-19.
“Women who will observe guidelines issued by the department of Health and later deliver in public hospitals will be given incentives,” the former two-time Amagoro MP said.
He lauded the World Bank for supporting Universal Health Coverage programme in the county.
Medical Services Chief Officer Isaac Omeri said the three vehicles unveiled were purchased at Sh20 million.
Edited by R.Wamochie