The country's health sector is headed for another crisis if counties proceed with their threats to end the much applauded free maternity services that are currently on offer in all public health centres.
County bosses now argue that the government's failure to disburse the monies reserved for the maternal care is frustrating the county economies, noting that if the trend continues then they will have no other alternative except withdrawing the free services.
According to a statement read by the chairperson of the council of governors, Peter Munya on behalf of all county governments, the free maternity services are proving to be too expensive for the local counties to afford and so expectant women will soon be charged if the national government does not come up with a quick intervention.
“I am very much afraid that we might soon have to charge the expectant women before we avail our services to them. It appears the Jubilee government is not keen in seriously sorting out the issue,” said Munya.
The chair further noted that the free maternal health care services are a project by the central government that only partnered with the county governments to reach to as many women as possible.
If the stalemate is not swiftly solved, then low-income earners and women from the slum areas, especially Kibera among other Nairobi slums, will be much disadvantaged noting the relief that has been witnessed from the past success of the free maternal services.