Bringing life, facing death: Horrific tales of mothers in labour wards

As the world comes together to celebrate International Mother's Day, the official theme for 2025 is “Celebrating Motherhood: A Timeless Bond.” This theme emphasises the enduring and universal nature of the mother-child relationship, highlighting the countless ways mothers nurture, support, and inspire their children throughout their lives. But who and what does it take to safely bring a child to this world and be called “mother”?

When Daisy Mitei, now 31, walked into the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in September 2021, she hoped her delivery process would be smooth. She was calm and alert. But that calmness was short-lived, thanks to what she terms the most horrible treatment she has ever experienced. This being her second child, she knew she was in labour. But from the moment she was received at the hospital, her knowledge as a mother was dismissed.