Governor Irungu Kang’ata has said he does not intend to boost the population of Murang’a County by paying pregnant women a Ksh.6,000 stipend.
According to the Murang’a governor, the goal of the programme is to address maternal and infant mortality rates in the county.
“The intention of this programme is not to boost population. Factors that cause fertility rate fall are complex. Can’t be solved by such. Not sure if it’s wise to reverse the trend. The goal is to incentivize hospital deliveries, address maternal and infant mortality rates,” Kang’ata wrote in a tweet on Wednesday.
In the healthcare programme, Kang’ata had said pregnant mothers will receive the Ksh.6,000 stipend in three instalments.
“We will be supporting pregnant mothers with a stipend of Ksh.2,000 for the last two last months of their pregnancy and double that amount after delivery to sum at Sh6,000 per pregnancy,” he said.
On October 24, the governor inked a deal with the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) that would see the medical insurance provider cover 20,000 households in the county.
Kang’ata observed that vulnerable persons in Murang’a experience challenges when seeking medical care, hence the cover will be a great relief.
“Normal NHIF cover does not cater for optical and dental services but we have negotiated with the NHIF in the special scheme to include the services to the beneficiaries of the special cover,” he said.