Social Health Authority (SHA) headquarters.Treasury will also inject Sh3.5 billion to the Kenya Medical
Supplies Authority (Kemsa) for essential maternal and newborn health supplies,
in a major push aimed at reducing maternal and newborn deaths.
The funding was announced during the launch of the Every
Woman, Every Newborn, Everywhere (Ewene) initiative, under which modern medical
equipment has also been dispatched to 25 counties that carry the highest burden
of maternal and newborn deaths.
The equipment was flagged off by President William Ruto
together with Health CS Aden Duale and senior officials during
the official launch of the programme.
“At the centre of
this plan is an immediate six-month Maternal and Newborn Health Rapid Results
Initiative, running from now until November 2026. This will be an urgent
nationwide effort to deliver measurable results and accelerate action where it
matters most,” Ruto said.
Duale said Kenya will
strengthen cooperation with the World Health Organization and other
international partners to help meet global targets for reducing maternal and
newborn deaths.
WHO’s representative to Kenya, Neema Kimambo, said the three
UN agencies will support the initiative through technical expertise, resources
and advocacy.
“We stand ready to support the Ministry of Health and county
governments across the five pillars of the Rapid Results Initiative: governance,
Health workforce, commodities, data and quality of care and commodities such
as essential medications and FP,” Kimambo said.
Council of Governors chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi said county
governments will work closely with the national government to ensure health
facilities are properly staffed, equipped and funded to improve outcomes for
mothers and newborns.
The equipment flagged off includes ventilators, newborn
resuscitative machines, oxygen concentrators, modern operating tables and
continuous positive airway pressure machines, among others. The equipment will
first be delivered to public and private health facilities in high-burden
counties.
The counties targeted are Mombasa, Garissa, Migori, Kisii, Kitui, Nairobi, Machakos, Nakuru, West Pokot, Tana River, Wajir, Trans Nzoia and Bungoma.
Others are Homa Bay, Kwale, Siaya, Kilifi, Kakamega, Kajiado, Uasin Gishu, Meru,
Samburu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Mandera and Turkana.
Health officials said the combined investment in financing,
equipment and supplies is aimed at improving care during pregnancy, childbirth
and the postnatal period, especially in facilities that handle the highest
number of complicated deliveries.
Globally, maternal and newborn deaths have reduced since
2000, but progress has remained uneven, according to the WHO. Sub-Saharan
Africa still carries the heaviest burden, accounting for most maternal deaths
worldwide and a significant share of newborn deaths.
The situation remains serious in Kenya. The Kenya
Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) 2022 shows the maternal mortality
rate stands at 355 deaths per 100,000 live births, while neonatal mortality is
21 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Spearheaded by the WHO, Unicef and the UNFPA, the Ewene initiative is a global programme focused on reducing maternal and newborn deaths and preventing stillbirths.
It promotes quality care during pregnancy,
delivery and after birth, with countries expected to lead implementation at
national level.
Under the initiative, Ruto said Kenya aims to
record a major improvement in maternal and newborn health outcomes by November
this year.
He said the combined interventions—financing through SHA,
supply support through Kemsa, and new equipment distribution—are meant to
close gaps that have continued to drive preventable deaths among mothers and
newborns, especially in high-burden counties.
