Women in Baringo urged to embrace hospital delivery to reduce maternal mortality » Capital News

NAKURU, Kenya, Feb 24 – Women in Baringo County and rural parts of the vast Nakuru County have been urged to embrace hospital delivery as a way of reducing maternal mortality.

Dandelion Africa Executive Director and Founder, Wendo Sahar said it was unfortunate that, in this day and age, women were still delivering in unhygienic and unhealthy conditions at home.

She observed that women in rural areas are known to deliver at home which increases the risk of maternal and neonatal mortality due to preventable issues such as post-partum, obstructed labour and eclampsia.

Sahar attributed this risky choice of births to lack of access to health facilities with some women having to be ferried more than 15 kilometres through rough roads to the nearest health facilities.

Speaking during a maternal open day at Dandelion Health and Maternity Centre attended by more than 100 expectant women and their spouses, she noted that Baringo was among 15 counties in Kenya with the highest maternal mortality.

“Dandelion is a cross-border organisation, located in Mogotio along the Nakuru-Baringo boundary, it handles more cases from Baringo,” she said.

Sahar said it was critical to have maternal open days where women are encouraged to deliver in health facilities and taken on a tour of the state-of-the-art maternal health facility where they can get dignified care.

“The open days are conducted after every three months, expectant mothers are taught the importance of ante-natal clinics which should start at two months after conception, proper diet and how to breastfeed,” said Sahar.

She added that the women get follow-up visits by community health promoters who walk the journey with mothers until the baby is five years of age to ensure a wholistic approach towards maternal health care.

The former banker turned maternal health promoter said besides the information on maternal health, young women were also encouraged take the opportunity to learn about economic livelihoods,

“It does not mean that these expecting women will remain pregnant forever, the forum also provides an opportunity to learn about making money for their children and understand financial wellness,” she said.

Charles Kihumba a Maternal Health Champion from Kampi ya Moto who had accompanied his wife to the open day forum said men should be supportive of their spouses during pregnancy and walk the journey together.

He said he was particularly keen on learning on the right foods to give his wife and ensure she had the right hemoglobin levels before delivery.

He urged fellow men to accompany their pregnant wives to the maternal open days and ante-natal clinic visits to be informed and part of the journey.