CRAWN TRUST: Maternity Services Record Decline

By Jacktone Lawi

HIVand AIDS is still the leading cause of mortality among women and children according to the latest report by community advocacy and awareness firm CRAWN Trust

This comes even as it emerged that Prevalence rate in Nairobi is 35% higher than national rate 6.1% versus 4.5%.

Lack of access to maternal, child health services especially for Women living in informal settlements as well as poor provider attitudes have largely contributed to maternal deaths in the county.

Data from CRAWN Trust and UNDP reveals that with the advent of COVID-19, there has been a decline on utilisation of maternal and child health (MCH) services in Nairobi.

“Maternal mortality rate in Nairobi County were noted to be 212 per 100,000 live births compared to 362 per 100,000 live births nationally, however in informal settlements that rate was found to be more than twice the national average with 706 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. ” read the report.

Nairobi Health Sector Challenges

Since devolution, Nairobi City County has not implemented guidelines on the management of human resource for health workforce in terms of Promotions, upgrading, and re-designation, employee relations (such as unions), pension which has contributed to disruption of services through industrial unrests.

Perennial delays in settlement of outstanding bills with KEMSA frequently lead to stock out of commodities and consequent interruption of service delivery, this has affected RMNCAH commodities including Family Planning.

limited access to publicly funded services and limited access to Insurance coverage; Maternal Child Health clinic locations and hours that are not convenient for clients The mix up between NMS and Nairobi County Government has resulted in poor flow of funds and thus limited services for women.

NHIF is undergoing review which hasn’t also been transparent and there is an urgent need for CRAWN Trust and CSOs to engage more strongly.