Kwale, KENYA: The mortality rate for pregnant mothers who give birth at their homes by help of a midwife have reduced since the inception of Kinondo Kwetu, a community health centre at Kinondo area, Kwale county.
Speaking during an event organized to celebrate 10 years of its existence, Kinondo Kwetu director Harrison Kaingu said that the reduction was attributed to efforts made by the centre which opted to help pregnant women deliver in hospitals.
“Almost 20 pregnant mothers die every year while giving birth but since we started this facility, the number dropped hence no life have been lost so far during childbirth,” he said.
Kaingu implied that the health centre has helped most pregnant mothers in the area to deliver without any difficulties which has also seen the number of children born with HIV virus decline.
“We have controlled the prevalence of HIV/AIDS from mother to child and this year alone 30 children were born with their status reading negative,” he said.
He further stated that midwives need to be empowered to enable them sensitize pregnant mothers to give birth in hospitals rather than their homes to prevent more deaths at childbirth.
Mishi Koko a midwife who operates within Kinondo area insisted that pregnant women should deliver in hospitals to protect their health condition thus secure their own lives.
“I attend to pregnant women in my rural area and advise them to frequently go for checkups in clinic,” she said.
