There has been an increase in birth rates in Nakuru town since the introduction of free marternity services by the Jubilee government a year ago, an official has said.
According to the Deputy Matron Bondeni Maternity Home Rose Atanga, the hospital which serves résidents from the informal settlement in the area has steadily recorded high rates of both pre-natal and post-natal médical attendances from the local women.
Speaking to this writer, Atanga attributed the increase in numbers to the free maternity services that was introduced by the government after last year’s elections.
“This trend is both a blessing and a burden to us because we do not have enough staff and facilities to cater for the increasing number of maternity patients. We expect the government to do something to sustain the demand,” said Atanga.
She further added that the health centre had recorded an average of 40 patients per month, as compared to an average of 10 in the previous years before the programme was started.
Atanga further oberved that many mothers are no longer seeking alternative means of giving birth but are actively engaging formal medication, a fact that promises to prevent deaths of babies or mothers during birth.