Referral Mechanism and Community Participation
To find out the respondents’ response on referral mechanisms, they were asked about the
supporting agents in their area. The findings were presented in Table below
Table : Supporting Agents
Response Frequency Percentage
NGO 48 21.0
Government only 56 24.6
Religious bodies 58 25.4
Private individuals 25 11.0
NGOs and Government 41 18.0
Total 228 100
From the results, 25.4% of the respondents indicated that the supporting agents available
in their area are religious bodies, 24.6% indicated government bodies, 21% indicated
NGOs, 18% indicated government and NGOs while 11% indicated private individuals.
The results furthers
demonstrated how government, non-governmental and other relevant organizations
should be involved and work to ensure cooperation among all stakeholders for sustainable
structures in improving mothers wellness and health care services.
Additionally, the respondents were required to indicate some of referral mechanism used
in their area and results indicated as follows.
Table: Referral Mechanisms
Response Frequency Percentage
Mobile Clinic 61 26.8
Peripheral facilities 33 14.5
District Hospitals 116 50.9
Others 18 7.9
Total 228 100
The study in table 3.13 shows that referral mechanisms were at 51% district hospitals,
27% mobile clinics, 15% peripheral facilities and 8% other mechanisms. The response
rates showed that to make health care services accessible, there must be referral
mechanism right from lowest level of service delivery that is from the communities to
peripheral facilities, and government of Kenya should be dedicated to upgrading access
and fairness to essential health care services right from the community level.
Cost of Health and Community Participation
The final research objective sought to find out the influence of cost on community
participation on maternal health. First, the respondents were required to indicate whether
they paid any money for hospital services. Their responses were indicated in table 3.14 as
follows.
Table Payment for Hospital Services
Response Frequency Percentage
Yes 188 82.5
No 40 17.5
Total 228 100
From the findings, 82.5% as represented by majority indicated they had paid money for
hospital services while 17.5% indicated no. In addition, the respondents indicated the
roles of central government, county government and private business in relation to the
cost of health care. They indicated that central and county governments have got duties
and responsibilities to undertake when it comes to healthcare as provision of affordable
ambulance services, surveillance and response of disease, provision of health facilities
and pharmacies as well as promoting the primary health care.
Further they indicated that the private sector has a role to identify ways to improve the
public private interface to increase equity, access, and efficiency in the health system to
create new opportunities for investment and lending for growth of the health sector. Cost
of patients have been blamed for poor seeking of medical services from skilled providers,
as direct and indirect cost, prevent women from seeking health care services because of
the extra cost attached to it. This is a big concern specifically in rural households where
women rely on public clinics situated in small towns or cities and regularly borrow
money to cover transport, food and accommodation costs.
