By Own Correspondent| Chairperson of the Women’s Assembly in the MDC, Lynette Karenyi has urged government to walk the talk on scrapping maternity user fees by ensuring the availability of drugs and other health consumables during delivery.

Karenyi said because pregnancy is a national duty, it was important for government to provide delivery tools in all government health facilities as a way of ensuring that women are cushioned from directly and indirectly paying maternity user fees.

Below is the full statement by Karenyi:

PREGNANCY IS A NATIONAL DUTY

When a woman gives birth she is on national duty. Government is not sincere with pregnant. Most pregnant women are being forced to pay delivery tools in all government health facilities.

This week in parliament I raised an issue of concern to a number of pregnant mothers who are making infomal payments to hospitals yet there is a policy that all pregnant mothers will not be paying maternity fees anymore.

Maternal health
It is government policy that all pregnant women are not supposed to pay user fees but when they visit the hospital they are asked to buy either cotton wool, spirit, razor and other drugs for those who would have delivered through ceasarian section.  Pregnant woman also provide their own food and other requirements.

In his response, the minister of health Dr Obediah Moyo said the policy is that it is free to which i implored him to make random checks at any hospital of his choice in order for him to see for himself that women are being asked to pay.

During our recent public hearings as the committee on health, we received complaints at every hospital that we visited that pregnant mothers are asked to bring all the drugs and other health consumables including gloves.

While the Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda has since made a ruling that the health minister should carry a random check at hospitals, the bottom line is pregnant mothers are still paying maternity fees directly or indirectly. As long as the government is not providing the said apparatus needed for the successful delivery of babies at hospitals, then expected mothers are paying maternity fees.

This is a very bad practise by the Zanu PF led government and it must end. Our laws make it very clear that the state must take practical measures to ensure the provision of basic, accessible and adequate health services throughout Zimbabwe.

How much longer shall pregnant mothers continue to suffer?

Lynette Karenyi
Hon. MP and MDC Assembly of Women Chairperson.