Incubator crisis cause of high infant mortality in Kwale

The lack of incubators in most public hospitals in Kwale County has led to high infant mortality in the region.

This gap has led to a majority of emergency cases in public hospitals being referred to private hospitals when it is too late. The situation is worsened by bad road infrastructure  and the long distance to hospitals. Halima Mohammed, a mother of one, said when women give birth to premature babies in local hospitals that don’t have incubators, they are referred to Msambweni or Mombasa, which are often full.

“Most of us prefer to go to private hospitals. Although they are expensive, we are assured of quality services when giving birth and attention to our newborns,” said Amina Kumbo, a resident of Msambweni.

Ms Sophia Chome, a Community Health Promoter from Mapawa village in Kilifi South, said many pregnant women struggle to reach hospitals due to poor roads.

She said a boda boda charges Sh300 from Mapawa to Vipingo Health Centre. “We are going through hard economic times and some of these women cannot even afford Sh100 for a meal,” she said.

Msambweni Referral Hospital, the largest public hospital in Kwale,is supposed to serve residents from all the four constituencies in the vast county. But it has a capacity of 21 beds. Similar problems are faced in other public hospitals such as Kwale Hospital in Matuga, where there is unreliable water supply and no incubators in newborn units.

Residents also cited lack of proper hygiene and inadequate maternal facilities as a major threat.

“Once you deliver, sometimes there is no water in a hospital, forcing a relative to carry water from home for you to clean yourself and the baby,” said Ms Chome.

Kilifi County Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health coordinator Kenneth Miriti said  maternal mortality rate in Kilifi is at 532 per 100,000 live births.

He said some of the factors that contribute to poor maternal and child health outcomes in Kilifi are related to delay in seeking care, delay in reaching health facilities and delay in receiving care. Other factors are cultural beliefs, myths, and practices that affect health-seeking behaviour. For example, despite the reproductive health risks associated with teen pregnancy, early marriages are still prevalent in the region. “The major complication that accounts for nearly 75 per cent of all maternal deaths is excessive bleeding, infections that usually occur after childbirth, high blood pressure during pregnancy, complications from delivery and unsafe abortions,” said Mr Miriti.

Kilifi Deputy Governor Flora Chibule said the many challenges women, children and adolescents undergo while accessing healthcare informed the construction of a new maternity wing at Junju dispensary. The project is being implemented in partnership with M-Pesa Foundation at a cost of Sh10 million.

While laying the foundation stone for the construction of a new maternity facility at Msambweni Referral Hospital last week, Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani said: “We are hoping that this facility will lead to a reduction in infant mortality rates.”

The Sh32.6 million project jointly funded by the M-Pesa Foundation and the Kwale County government is expected to be completed in July.

It will be equipped with incubators and baby cots. There will also be a high-dependency unit, an Intensive Care Unit, nursery rooms, a Kangaroo room, laundry services and resuscitation equipment.

Anne Eriksson, a trustee from the M-Pesa Foundation, said the launch is among their objectives in reducing maternal and infant mortality rates in Kenya.

Ramisi Member of County Assembly Hanifa Mwajirani said the project had come at the right time when the county’s development focus is to improve healthcare services for all the residents.

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