Traditional midwifery has for a long time been ignored as a practice only meant for the illiterate.
Currently, things are changing and slowly but sure the industry is regaining its popularity.
With the ever rising population in Kenya, it is interesting that mothers who are expectant prefer to be nursed by traditional midwives during pregnancy and even at childbirth.
Not only the illiterate or older women prefer this system but also the highly educated in society have taken up the new trend. As population steadily grows, midwives are supposed to be more knowledgeable in their profession since many pregnancies and childbirths nowadays come with lots of complications. At times, even the top medics have grapple with some of these challenges.
The private sector has invented a digital method where midwives easily and effectively have contact with their clients through the internet. Private midwives networks in Kenya target peri-urban and rural women with a target income of 40 to 60 percent for middle income, 20 to 40 percent lower-middle income and 20 percent for the lower income.
The government is now challenged to also incorporate midwives training and set aside a reasonable budget for them to reduce mortality in the country and especially in the rural areas.
“We have to also undergo professional training since many women prefer to come to us rather than go to the hospitals. Sometimes though we fear to tackle complicated cases and that is why we forward our clients to the hospital for more professional services,” Mama Stella a traditional midwife says.
She adds that she goes through a lot of challenges especially when assisting women who have no money for her services.
“Sometimes, I go through many unexplained challenges especially when a mother who is desperate and has no money comes to me. I have to perform my duty regardless of whether I have all the necessary tools required,” decries Mama Stella.
Joy Chebet, a working class woman says that the government should consider training more midwives and even fund them when and where necessary.
“I have given birth to five children and only one among them was born in a public hospital. Despite the fact that traditional midwives are seen as traditionalists, they help a lot and they do it wholeheartedly. The government should have seminars for them and fund them with necessary equipment to enable them tackle even complicated births,” urges Chebet.
The government should take up their responsibility to do this by following suit and effortlessly supporting the First Lady, Mama Margaret Kenyatta’s idea of the Beyond Zero Campaign. This way will the country be able to fight mortality rates among mothers and children at birth.