Groups call for the review of Kisumu County Finance Act 2018 on maternity fees.

 Community Empowerment and Media Initiative Patron Bernard Okebe stressing a point during a community forum held in Obunga area in Kisumu to advocate on the Kisumu County Finance Act 2018 and its impact on the maternity fees on women and general society-Photo By Dickson Odhiambo.





By Dickson Odhiambo.

January 15, 2019.

Groups call for the review of Kisumu County Finance Act 2018 on maternity fees.

THERE is need to carry out review on the Kisumu County finance Act that was passed last year at the County Assembly of Kisumu, Two lobby groups have said.

The Groups Community Empowerment and Media Initiative{CEM-K} and Kenya Female Advisory Organization say the Kisumu County Finance Act which a section of it requires that expectant mothers delivering normally at public health facilities pay shillings 5,000 should be reviewed.

Addressing the participants during a community forum held in Obunga area in Kisumu to advocate on the Kisumu County Finance Act 2018 and its impact on the maternity fees on women and general society, the two Organizations said the section of the Act on maternity fees does not conform with some of the National policies on health especially on free maternal health care hence need to be re-looked at.

The Community Empowerment and Media Initiative {CEMI-K} Patron Bernard Okebe says the charges leveled on maternity issues is about 14,000 including when a mother delivers normally and through caesarian section is very high hence many women especially those with low income can’t afford such  fees.

Okebe says they are now creating awareness about the Act and the need to carry out review on it.

“We have embarked on creating awareness about the Kisumu County Finance Act of 2018 to the public for them to know that this Act exist. Our major concern is that this Act is not in conformity with the National policies on health especially on maternal health which should be free nationally,” Okebe says.

Okebe says there is need by the Members of County Assembly of Kisumu to carry out an amendment to the Act.

“The Act should be taken back to the County Assembly of Kisumu so as to amend it so as to remove charges on maternity issues which should be free,” Okebe adds.

The Kenya Female Advisory Organization {KEFEADO} Executive Director Easter Achieng says the issue of Universal Health Coverage should also take care of the needs of women particularly women of reproductive age.

Achieng says the Kisumu County Finance Act has done what is known as claw back, adding that it has introduce shs 5,000 to expectant women will pay on a normal delivery in public health facilities within the county which is contrary to the previous program on free maternity health services where women were paying on shs 200 for a card known as Linda mama which allowed to access quality maternal health services.

Achieng says with the introduction of such a fee in the Act, a number of expectant women have resorted to going back to Traditional birth Attendants {TBAs} within their localities where the services are deemed cheap and the quality of healthcare there are questionable.

She says even the adolescent mothers also have a greater challenge since most of them can’t afford shillings 5000 to delivery normally at the public health facilities within Kisumu County.

“One of the challenges which is likely to crop up is the issue maternal mortality and child mortality rate as well as mortality rate of children under five years will increase hence the need to review this Act,” Achieng says.

She says maternal health care should be offered freely if not affordable, adding that many of the household will not afford the shs 5000 fees for normal delivery.

“We must ensure that when we talk about maternal health care it should be free.If not free then those rates in the Finance Act should be reviewed to be affordable to the public because many households can’t afford such fees,” Achieng adds.

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