Iris Publishers- Open access journal of Biostatistics & Biometric Applications | Canonical Analysis for the Birth Reduction
Complications after Introduction of Free Maternity
Health Care Services in Kenya
Authored by Amos Kipkorir Langat
There is a growing movement, globally and particularly in the Africa
region, to reduce financial barriers to health care.
Approximately 585,000 women of Reproductive age die each year from
pregnancy related causes worldwide according to the
World Health Organization (WHO). The purpose of the study was to examine
how free maternity healthcare programme influences
maternal mortality rate in Kenya. The study was guided by the following
research objectives: to determine how free antenatal care
influences maternal mortality rate in Bomet County; to establish how
free delivery care influences the lives of others in Bomet
County; to assess how free Emergency medical services influences
maternal mortality rate in Bomet County and to identify how
free postnatal care influences maternal mortality rate in Bomet County.
The target population of this study entailed 224 mothers
who attend various health maternity clinic, 20 nurses, 10 paramedics and
5 doctors. A descriptive survey research design was
adopted for the study. The study focused on collecting primary and
secondary data using a structured questionnaire and focus group
discussions. Validity of the research instruments was determined by
content and construct validity while reliability of the research
instruments was determined by internal consistency method. Data
collected was analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative
approaches. Parametric and Nonparametric data was analyzed; such as
measures of central tendency, variability and dispersion and
correlation. Data were analyzed by use of and the results were presented
in the table form and context. The key findings of the study
revealed that free maternity care has a direct relationship to maternal
mortality rate; the rate of deaths due to pregnancy related
causes have reduced significantly in Kenya since the introduction of
this program. The study recommended that the government
should develop both long term and short term strategies in implementing
free maternal healthcare services in public hospitals
including creating awareness, training staff and adding more services to
the program. The Free Maternal Health Care Initiative provides subsidized
health insurance to pregnant women, giving them access to an
existing range of insurance benefits that includes comprehensive
maternity care with some notable exceptions such as ambulance
service and post-partum family planning counselling. It is supported
from the general pool of resources of the National Health Insurance
Fund, which includes contributions from international partners via
the health sector budget support.
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