The childbirth process is regarded as a miracle of nature in every society worldwide.
It is, therefore, vital that quality prenatal and safe delivery processes are given a top priority.
During the precolonial era in Kenya, maternity care was mediocre, and infant mortality was at an all-time high.
To help compart this problem, the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority donated money to finance the Thika Maternity Hospital construction in the early 1960s.
The generous donors made follow-up visits, and in 1985, they made an additional financial donation of $ 20,000 for further expansion.
Over time the hospital changed its name to Mary Help of the Sick Mission Hospital.
The Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary currently operate the hospital.
This hospital prides itself on providing comprehensive surgical and medical facilities per the Department of Health requirements.
The hospital has a well-equipped inpatient department with male medical, female medical, maternity, pediatric, and NBU wards.
There are three operation theatres with modern equipment.
The hospital has grown and has 120 beds that can provide affordable services to over 200 women daily.
The Maternity Department
The maternity ward is one of the main departments at the facility.
The department has modern equipment and dedicated professionals, including nurses, midwives, gynecologists, doctors, and pediatricians.
The ward also has an adequate number of support staff, from cleaners to cooks and maintenance workers, and it is not a surprise that it is rated highly on various web reviews regarding cleanliness and efficiency.
Services offered at the facility include prenatal and postnatal care, child immunization, nutritional education, and family planning.
Prenatal services are lab work, blood tests and examinations, ultrasound, and general lifestyle discussions.
The Mary Help of the Sick Hospital has a special care nursery catering to babies after delivery.
The facility also serves as an educational institution where students upwards of 66 are trained to be nurses and midwives every year.
Maternity Costs
The normal delivery package at the hospital costs anything between Ksh 7,000 and Ksh 15,000 based on the complexity of the process.
Additionally, privacy and delivery type (gynecologist or midwife) are factored into the final cost.
Cesarean Section is charged from Ksh 30,000 to Ksh 40,000.
The Mary Help of the Sick Hospital is NHIF accredited with the insurance service catering for the other bulk of inpatient services such as bed charges.
Parting Thoughts
The majority of Kenyans are medium and low-income earners. There is also a rise in unwanted teenage pregnancies, and the lack of family planning has increased pregnancies among low-income families.
It is not easy to control the rate at which women get pregnant; hence, maternal care must be made affordable.
Hospitals such as the Mary Help of the Sick Hospital lead this front; many others should follow the same course.
