Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health network (RMNCAH) has launched its campaign in Kanduyi Sub County urging Bungoma County government to allocate and timely release funds to support the network functions.
Some of the activities carried out by RMNCAH include:
- Advocating for the well being of expectant mothers and their infants
- Campaigning for reduction of teenage pregnancies and strengthening referral system (Ambulance services and infrastructure.)
In its campaign RMNCAH has slammed the county government for delayed funds release and reducing the budget allocated to health and RMNCAH.
During the campaign RMNCAH leased a press kit which indicates that 60% of RMNCAHS funds come from external sources.
In the press kit RMNCAH calls to action for the county government to:
- Increase the non-donor budget allocated to RMCAH for the sake of sustainability.
- The county health management team to implement interventions to trace pregnant women outcomes.
- County healthy treasury to increase budget release for RMNCAH interventions in line with the cost annual work plan. No money was released and spent in the first three quarters of the financial year.
According to the press kit about 54% of the annual health budget allocation had been received by the third quarter or the FY 2020/2021. Although the entire released budget was spent, there was no expenditure on RMNCAH. This is despite the county recording 42 maternal deaths in the same period.
There was a drastic drop in the RMNCAH budget allocation (-68%) from the FY 2019/20 to FY 2020/21.
The kit also indicates that in the financial year 2020/21, approximately 44% of the pregnant women did not complete 4 ANC visits while 13% of the pregnant women did not deliver with the help of skilled birth attendants. This may have contributed to the 42 women losing their lives as a result of the pregnant related complications
Grace Wanjala Deputy Nursing Officer in Bungoma Referral Hospital told the press that, Bungoma County is committed to reducing maternal deaths and teenage pregnancies by continuing to improve access to antenatal care.
By Rayzone
