Factors Influencing Implementation of Free Maternal Health Care in Government Health Facilities: a Case of Kisima Location; Samburu County, Kenya
Abstract
Issues concerning maternal healthcare are highly prevalent in most developing nations
as the quality of care is often low and too expensive for the local population. Kenya,
like most other developing nations, has shown the desire to show its commitment
towards reducing the problems associated with implementation of free maternal health
care projects and programmes. The government’s implementation strategy involved
introduction of free maternal healthcare program in counties and regions that have
limited healthcare services, through the devolution programme. Despite the plans to
improve the maternal health care, Lorroki Division in Samburu County has the
highest number of maternal health care problems with the high numbers in Kisima
Location. The purpose of this study was to establish factors influencing
implementation of free maternal health care in government health care facilities in
Kisima Location. The objectives of the study were to; assess how demographic
characteristics influences implementation of free maternal health care, determine how
attitude of health care providers influences implementation of free maternal health
care, assess how the level of awareness on maternal health influences implementation
of free maternal health care and assess how availability of resources influences
implementation of free maternal health care. An in-depth review of literature was
done. A descriptive survey design was used in this cross sectional study. The target
population was Lorroki Division residents and accessible population was Kisima
Location residents from which a sample of 202 residents were selected using stratified
sampling; 80 adult women, 75 men and 47 youth . Purposive sampling was used to
select 10 health care providers. Data was collected through questionnaires, document
reviews and interviews and descriptive statistics was used to analyse the data with aid
of Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.Content analysis was applied for
the qualitative data.The study established that 76.2% of the respondents were
unemployed and 50% were uneducated. The quality of health care services was rated
to be good but attendance on antenatal and post natal clinics was too low. There were
two health facilities in Kisima location; Kisima and Mparigon.1 ambulance was
available for the whole location. It was recommended that health care should be given
priority and a favorable approach to maternal health care that covers from antenatal to
postnatal stage should be introduced. Traditional birth assistants need to be trained on
modern safe delivery skills. The study will aid in improvement and implementation in
the health sector and thus overall promotion of comprehensive maternal health care
services in Kenya.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Subject
Free Maternal Health CareRights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
The following license files are associated with this item: