Free Maternity Care Ends in Congo, Fearing a Return to "Five Births a Month"

A free maternity care program in the Democratic Republic of Congo has ended. Health workers now fear a sharp drop in hospital births, putting mothers at risk. At the Afia Himbi Health Center, head nurse Franck Ndachetere Kandonyi saw the program's direct impact. Before it began, the clinic averaged only five deliveries per month. With free care, that number rose to more than 20. "The women came in greater numbers because they knew they would not be charged," Kandonyi said. The program removed user fees for prenatal visits, childbirth, and postnatal care. Its cancellation means most women must now pay for these essential services. For many in one of the world's poorest nations, this cost is too high. Experts warn that without access to professional care, more women will likely give birth at home. This significantly increases the risks of death or injury from complications for both mother and child. The clinic's monthly numbers are now expected to fall again.