In recent news, the province of Kasaï-Oriental, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has launched an innovative program in favor of maternal health: free maternity in the town of Mbuji-mayi. This initiative, led by interim governor Julie Kalenga, aims to facilitate access to health care for pregnant women and reduce the risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth.
The free maternity program includes a wide range of medical services, such as cesarean deliveries, pre- and post-natal consultations, immunizations, family planning services and access to essential medicines. It is part of the implementation of universal health coverage in the province.
This decision follows that of President Félix Tshisekedi who launched this program in September 2023 at the Tshatshi Camp Military Hospital in Kinshasa. Since then, other provinces such as South Kivu have also benefited from this measure.
Initially, this free maternity program will be implemented in the Mbuji-mayi provincial government hospital, before gradually extending to other public health structures in the Kasai-Oriental province.
This initiative is hailed as an important step towards improving maternal health in the region. Indeed, many women in rural areas often struggle to access health care and face avoidable complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
By introducing free maternity care, provincial authorities hope to encourage more women to go to health establishments to benefit from adequate medical monitoring and a safe delivery. This will help reduce the maternal mortality rate and improve the health of women and newborns in the Kasai-Oriental province.
It is encouraging to see that Congolese authorities are committed to improving access to health care for vulnerable populations. Hopefully this initiative will serve as an example to other provinces and countries, so that every woman can benefit from quality care during pregnancy and childbirth, regardless of their socio-economic status.