LEGISLATORS yesterday renewed calls for the scrapping of maternity user fees, with some of them suggesting a maternity levy while other female MPs threatened a national boycott by women to give birth to children.
VENERANDA LANGA
This was said during debate on a motion which was introduced in the National Assembly by Goromonzi West MP Biata Nyamupinga (Zanu PF) calling for the scrapping of maternal user fees and stoppage of detention of mothers who failed to pay maternal user fees.
Nyamupinga said incidences of maternal mortality were high and shocking.
She said maternal mortality deserved to be declared a national disaster in the same manner that government declared serious accidents national disasters.
She said the worst affected women were in the rural areas, adding that there were also disturbing trends in the behaviour of some nurses who ill-treated women and left them to deliver babies without help resulting in avoidable deaths.
“Maternal mortality is said to be 525 deaths per 100 000 live births and the number is said to have increased by 85% and this is an indication that maternity user fees should be scrapped and that maternity should be funded just like we fund the HIV and Aids levy,” Nyamupinga said.
“I wonder why maternal mortality is not declared a national disaster just like bus disasters because many women are dying while giving birth as compared to figures of people who die in bus disasters.”
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Nyamupinga suggested that instead of detaining mothers and their babies they should let them go home and in their place detain the fathers.
Leader of the opposition in the House, Thokozani Khupe, castigated lack of government action on cancellation of maternity user fees saying it was a national duty as there will be no people in the country if women did not give birth.
“Can you imagine if women woke up and said from this day no woman will fall pregnant — what will happen to this country? At some point this country would end,” she said.
“There is no need to detain mothers and babies because their medical fees will continue to increase. 15 women are dying every day while giving birth and we need to ensure every woman gives birth at clinics and hospitals.”
Makoni South MP Mandi Chimene (Zanu PF) added: “If women boycotted getting pregnant for even two months, there would be a serious generation gap.
“Male MPs should also advocate for the removal of maternal user fees or else we will say men should sleep alone at home.”
Ruth Labode (MDC-T) said rural women travelled 70 kilometres to access maternal health and some of them ended up giving birth at home, attended by traditional midwives who did not have equipment.
Chinhoyi legislator and medical doctor Peter Mataruse (MDC-T) said the practice of asking patients to bring their own blankets and water at hospitals due to shortages was not good as it increased infections.
Evelyn Masaiti Muzungu (MDC-T) said there was need for urgent alignment of health laws to ensure maternal fees were scrapped while Shamva South MP Joseph Mapiki (Zanu PF) said in his constituency, 20% of children died during childbirth, adding that 50% of Shamva women gave birth at home.
Bulawayo East legislator Thabitha Khumalo said the government should subsidise baby food, diapers and sanitary wear for women, adding that it was sad that some women spent four days with dead foetuses in their bodies due to lack of health care.
Hurungwe East MP Sarah Mahoka (Zanu PF) suggested that women should be paid for getting pregnant and giving birth as it was a national duty.
