This project will cover 1 year of SHA insurance (Social Health Authority) for 23 vulnerable women from slums in Nairobi, giving them the opportunity to use the public health system (not free) at a much lower cost. With this, they will be able to monitor their pre-birth, birth and post-birth status, go to neonatal check-ups or get any examination, medication or consultation they require for 1 year.
Women in Kibera live on extremely low incomes and face a paid healthcare system that is unaffordable for them. This leads to poor prenatal care, unsafe deliveries, and inadequate postpartum follow-up, increasing the risk of pregnancy and postpartum complications for mothers and their newborns. The cost of health insurance for a woman in Kibera ranges from $43 to $55 per year. This amount is higher than the monthly income of most people in the slum (approximately $30 per month).
Having SHA health insurance significantly reduces the cost of each consultation, check-up, examination and medication. Paying this insurance for 1 year helps these women and their children to have access to more affordable health care, encouraging them to go for check-ups, vaccinations and go to the hospital when necessary.
A safe and healthy pregnancy, childbirth and first months of life contribute to reducing the maternal and neonatal mortality rate. Our program seeks to impact the lives of 20 women and their children annually, contributing to the general health in Kibera, which will ultimately impact better social, health, educational and economic development in the long term for these families and their community.
