A young mother is kissing her newborn son on the forehead. They are at the hospital. The mother is wearing a hospital gown and the baby is wrapped in a white blanket.
Expectant mothers in Katampa of Kasama District in Northern Province have pointed an accusing finger at personnel at Mwanakonde Health Post for allegedly, imposing a K300 fine on women that give birth from home.
One of the concerned residents, Marjory Mushimwa, says the practice is unfair on most expectant mothers that fail to cover over 10 kilometres of distance to the facility.
Ms. Mushimwa adds that queries to ascertain if the fine is legal are often met by a hostile reception of some named employees at the clinic.
She has since urged authorities to intervene because imposing a K300 fine on a helpless woman is inhuman and must be stopped as it undermines positive gains made by government on service provision in the health sector.
In the wake of said allegations, the Kasama District Health Office has since taken interest in the matter.
By Diamond Chitalu