Expecting mothers who spoke to The Zimbabwean last week said they could not afford the maternal user fees charged at government hospitals.
“A lot of women in remote areas have died while giving birth at home because clinics are very far. Most of the clinics are also poorly equipped and cannot provide adequate maternal services,” said Susan Mudenda at Dete clinic in Hwange where she had gone to deliver – 150km from her home in Siyachilaba.
Her predicament is experienced by scores of expecting mothers in the area, some of whom are travelling as far as Gokwe in the Midlands province, more than100km away, to seek medical attention.
A health official in the area attributed the problem to the poor state of health facilities and said close to 15 % of pregnant women in the area develop complications that require obstetric care.
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