Kenyatta National Hospital welcomes State’s free maternity policy

By Lonah Kibet

Nairobi, Kenya: Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has asked local health facilities to adopt the free maternity services announced by the President.

While welcoming the move they also encouraged other local health care facilities to adopt the policy so that they (KNH) can attend to the complicated cases.

KNH CEO Richard Lesiyampe also appealed to mothers to seek services in their local healthcare centres and not to look down upon the services offered there.

“We receive and admit an overwhelming number of pregnant mothers because we are a national hospital, and as much as we welcome them to KNH we also encourage them to go to their local health centres because the services offered there are similar to what we offer,” said Lesiyampe.

He said they stopped charging mothers as soon as the President gave the directive and promised to refund those who had paid for the services as soon as they are discharged.

Lesiyampe said the hospital had fully prepared for the adoption of the policy from the time the Jubilee government publicised their manifesto and were certain that the numbers would go up.

While speaking to The Standard yesterday Lesiyampe also appealed to mothers contribute to the National Hospital Insurance Fund.