This archive report was first published on 22 April 2020.
On April 22, 2020, President Uhuru Kenyatta revealed that the government would revise the budget for free maternity services to accommodate the anticipated surge in births following the COVID-19 quarantine period.
Speaking at State House in Nairobi, President Kenyatta acknowledged that the prolonged stay at home due to curfew guidelines would lead to an increase in women seeking maternity services.
Many workers have been forced to work from home, and the President noted that this would result in couples spending more time indoors, leading to a higher demand for maternity services.
‘We must ensure we increase our maternity budget. I passed by Pumwani Maternity the other day and I was telling my friend that we must expand the facility because for sure I know there will be a lot of work,’ the President said amid laughter from presenters.
Additionally, Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua had directed his County Minister for Health to review the maternity budget, anticipating an increase in demand for maternity services in the coming months.
