In the beginning of May we had a fuel crisis in the city.  Most gas stations were completely out of fuel and so thousands of people spent hours and hours waiting in massive lines at the few stations that still had any.  People started to panic and fuel prices soared. This meant that not only was it very expensive and difficult to go anywhere with a private vehicle, but prices on public transportation went up due to fuel prices as well.

Believe it or not, this all affects Kenyan women who are giving birth!  The transportation difficulties and traffic complications because of them, make it more difficult than ever for a midwife to get to a laboring mother or visa versa.  As if there wasn’t enough difficulty with this already!  Just one more of the many many ways that the corruption and greed of just a few put the lives of mothers and babies on the line.  Another example of how the innocent majority pay for the sins of the responsible minority.There are many ways that mothers and babies pay for corruption and greed around the world.  It would take pages and pages to mention them all in their complexities.  But even seemingly small and simple issues can be life threatening.  Mama Christine, my mentor midwife, recently shared with me how as a traditional birth attendant (who serves many hundreds of women in our area), she is supposed to be provided with free gloves and medicines by the local government hospital.  But every time she goes for her rations, they tell her they are out of gloves and medicine.  Most of the time, they’re lying because they don’t want to help her due to the stigma against traditional birth attendants.  What’s even more shocking is sometimes it’s actually true!

Many hospitals require the patients and their families to pay for every single item used for their treatment, down to the gloves.  Sometimes they won’t even treat a patient, no matter how critical they might be, until the gloves have been purchased.  Millions of dollars are designated for government hospitals every year, but you’d never know judging by the outdated equipment and run down facilities that are painfully understaffed by overworked, underpaid, undereducated, ill-equipped employees.  And when asked to account for the millions of dollars and how it was used, no one knows, and worst of all, no one is held accountable.

Government hospitals are supposed to provide all services mostly for free and to give out many medications for free or at minimal cost.  But when provided with these medicines, it is common practice for hospitals to sell them to private dispensaries, where they are then resold at an inflated price, making many medicines very expensive.  As you may have guessed, the prices for treatment are also inflated.

Imagine what this means for Kenyan mothers and babies, and for Mama Christine.  If a complication arises during a home birth, the mother will have to go to a hospital where her chances aren’t much better – sometimes worse.  She’ll have to pay for every glove, syringe, and any other supply that will be needed to save her and her baby, though millions of dollars have already been provided so she can receive the treatment she needs for free.  If she needs any medicine, she’ll have to buy it at inflated prices, that she most certainly won’t be able to afford.  If her family can’t sell enough to cover the expenses, she won’t be treated, or she’ll be held prisoner in the hospital after treatment until her bill is paid in full.  Or, she’ll die and become just another statistic.

As for Mama Christine, how can she protect herself and the mothers she serves without the most basic necessities, such as gloves?  Aids of course, is prevalent here, especially in the poorest of the poor communities where she serves.  And when surrounded by filth and disease, how can she hope to protect the mothers and babies?  She’s completely on her own, left to help the poor who no one else will help, but with no resources to do it, even though those resources have already been paid for.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop here.  With the increase of fuel prices, there is always an increase in food prices.  On top of that, a food shortage is driving up prices even higher!  That means it’s even more difficult for pregnant and nursing mothers to get the proper nutrition they need for themselves and their little ones.  As we all know, poor nutrition is directly correlated with several pregnancy and labor complications, including preterm babies, who have many complications of their own.  In fact, I was alarmed to discover recently as I was learning about preterm labor, that most Kenyan women have most of the risk factors associated with it.

In moments of discouragement and frustration I can’t help but wonder what hope there is for all the sweet little babies I’m anticipating early next year.  But 2 Peter 1:3-4 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.  Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

I’m so thankful that God is a promise keeper and that His precious promises are full of life, hope, a brighter future, and victory!

 'Behold, I will bring them from the north country, And gather them from the ends of the earth,
 Among  them the blind and the lame, The woman with child and The one who labors with child,  together,
 A great throng shall return there...And My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the LORD.'
 Jeremiah 31:8, 14
~~~
©2011 Charis Childbirth Services, All Rights Reserved
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June 2011