Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Health Principal Secretary State Department for Public Health & Professional Standards Mary Muthoni has assured Kenyans that the government will reinstate Linda Mama, a free maternity programme that has been protecting the poor and vulnerable by improving the delivery of maternal services.

Muthoni disclosed that the initiative will be integrated into the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) and improved to facilitate enhanced maternal services.

In the revamped program, the PS revealed that mothers undergoing normal delivery will now benefit from Sh11,000 up from Sh4,000 that used to be offered while those delivering through caesarean section will benefit from Sh 32,000 up from Sh17,000.

“Linda Mama will be part of SHIF and all mothers should be at ease because its coming back bigger and better. Mothers will not be buying some of the commodities they are asked to buy during delivery, they will simply only be required to present themselves for delivery,” said PS Muthoni.

“We will not scrap off things that are beneficial to Kenyans and especially our mothers and children,” assured Muthoni.

One-year cover

The Linda Mama programme has been providing expectant mothers with a one-year cover that includes four antenatal visits, delivery (either normal or by Caesarean section), three postnatal care visits, and vaccines for the child.

In 2013, the government implemented a Free Maternity Scheme, which eliminated user fees at public primary care facilities and made all deliveries in the public sector free of charge. Since the Kenya Kwanza administration took power, the program has been doorman amid speculation that it had been scrapped.

Speaking at Jesus Winner Ministry along Thika Road yesterday, Muthoni revealed that NHIF is still in force until the roll-out of SHIF is successfully done.

Registering with SHIF

“NHIF is still in force until when we will roll out to SHIF. If you have an NHIF card, continue using and contributing to it. However, I urge Kenyans to continue registering for SHIF in readiness for roll-out,” she said.

The programme which was launched by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2013 sought to alleviate the financial burden on pregnant women. It further aimed at providing services based on need rather than the ability to pay, a step towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Kenya.

However, since President William Ruto’s administration announced the scrapping of NHIF, most expectant mothers were exposed since there was an alternative support model.

SHIF, alongside the Primary Health Care Act, and Digital Health Act – which were slated to replace the NHIF had been declared unconstitutional by a three-judge bench of the High Court last month.

However, a three-judge bench would later suspend its decision to quash the health Acts after the Attorney General’s office argued that the repeal would leave a void in the health sector.

Meanwhile, PS Muthoni revealed that the country is free from Mpox after the sole case was treated and the infected repatriated back to his country of origin. Kenya confirmed its first and only case of Mpox late last month at the Taita Taveta border post with Tanzania. The virus was detected in a person travelling from Uganda to Rwanda through Kenya.

Mpox is a disease caused by infection with a virus, known as Monkeypox virus.

The infection spreads through close contact and causes flu-like symptoms and a painful rash with some cases being mild and can be fatal.