Maternal deaths are the second biggest killer of women of reproductive age. High maternal
deaths in sub-Saharan Africa reflect inequities in health services. This study explored how
intersecting factors such as gender, class, and other social relations shape access to healthcare
among a selected group of HIV-positive Kenyan.
Guided by a postcolonial feminist perspective, the study employed semi-structured interviews to
elicit the perspectives of key institutional actors on the challenges and constraints of the health
services landscape and in-depth interviews to gain insight into the lived experiences of individual
women’s access to healthcare within the healthcare and social context of a purposively selected
large Kenyan town.
Key institutional actors’ perspective indicated that the healthcare system is complex, in flux, and
homogenized women. They acknowledged that a lack of adequate healthcare funding resulted in
unmet needs for people living with HIV, gaps in training of health practitioners and shortage of
medical equipment and supplies. Women’s narratives revealed the complexities of their lives.
Women’s diversity and agency were reflected in their stories about how they accessed healthcare
within this complex healthcare system and within the existing social constraints in this setting.