Ms Ndungulu further explained that most of them fail to go to the health centers to deliver for various reasons.
“Some of us go on labour earlier than expected to be able to rush to the health centers, while some of us opt to deliver at home for lack of maternity fees,” she said.
The chief medic at the health center, Peter Mkanga, said the fine was passed by the village government.
Mkanga said the fine is meant to discourage women from giving birth at home, hence oppose themselves at their babies to unforeseen complications that come with child birth away from health centers.
However, Provincial Commissioner Hapi criticized the decision to fine women in such situations.
“Some of them (the women) are poor and can’t afford to go to the hospital and you are busy imposing a fine of Tsh50,000. Instead of helping them, you end up compelling them to sell their properties to pay the fine,” he said.