Alarm as Bungoma records high number of perinatal deaths

Health officials and advocates in Bungoma County have raised concern over the high number of perinatal and maternal deaths reported in in the County.

In an Interview with the press  at a hotel in Bungoma town on Wednesday, Christine Naliaka, Bungoma County Reproductive Health (RH) Coordinator expressed her worries over the high number of perinatal and maternal deaths in Bungoma.

Naliaka revealed that in the year 2021 Bungoma lost 40 mothers to maternal complications who had visited health facilities to deliver.

She added that Bungoma is also losing averagely 300 babies quarterly, attributing it to weak referral systems within Sub- Counties and Bungoma County Referral Hospital (BCRH).

However, Naliaka noted that currently, the health Technical Working Group (TWG) and Reproductive Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Network (RMNCAH), Stage Media Arts and other organizations in the County are holding meetings to find the appropriate interventions to curb frequent alarming perinatal and maternal deaths in Bungoma.

“With the high numbers of perinatal and maternal deaths in Bungoma County, health facilities are working closely with Bungoma Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Network and Stage Media Arts to come up with appropriate interventions to address the cases,” Naliaka added.

The following are the perinatal deaths that have been recorded in Bungoma County as per the Bungoma County Referral Hospital (BCRH) report that was revealed by Naliaka:  July to Sept 2020- 18, Oct to Dec 2020- 6, Jan to Mar-10, April- June 2021-6, July to Sept- 13 and Jan to March 2022- 6.

She noted that to address frequent deaths in the maternal department, Community Health Volunteers ( CHV’s) have been trained and replaced in every village to help in reporting the number of expectant mothers in the village and help them during delivery as they are linked with both public and private health facilities.

However, the County Reproductive Health coordinator called on the county government through the department of health and sanitation to help improve the referral strategy.

“One of the common reasons that are causing deaths in our health facilities is poor referral from Sub- County health facilities to BCRH,” she noted.

She also called on pregnant women to visit health facilities for Antenatal Care visits which are free at all facilities.

On teenage pregnancy, Naliaka called on parents to embrace holding reproductive health talks to avert the high number of cases arguing that young girls and boys should be in school.

Rahma Issa, an Advocacy officer in Bungoma County and a Primary Health Care (PHC) project coordinator in Bungoma County said that the two months project aims at addressing the teenage pregnancy, weak referral systems and improving ANC visits in Bungoma.

Issa added that RMNCAH network is also pushing the Bungoma government to allocate the budget towards the Family planning commodities and establishment of youth friendly services desks.

Other Counties to benefit from the PHC project include Machakos, Nyeri, Embu and Nakuru.

Samuel Nakitare, Chairman Bungoma Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Network affirmed that the PHC project will address the perinatal and maternal deaths challenges being experienced in the County.