NAIROBI, Kenya- At least 175 health facilities across 31 counties have been equipped with essential maternal and newborn care tools, boosting hospitals’ capacity to handle delivery complications and critical care in the first hours of life.
Distributed between March 18 and March 27, the equipment includes 143 neonatal warmers, 550 nebulizers, and 541 pulse oximeters, targeting high-volume facilities that have been facing shortages of vital tools for safe deliveries and newborn care.
The initiative is part of the U.S. government’s support to Kenya’s rapid results initiative, aimed at reducing maternal and newborn mortality.
Kenya currently records an estimated 355 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births and a neonatal mortality rate of 21 per 1,000 live births, with many deaths linked to pregnancy and childbirth complications as well as limited access to timely, quality care.
“In many facilities, the challenge is not the demand for services. It is having the right tools at the right time,” said Stephen Kuria, Acting County Executive Committee Member for Health, representing Nakuru County Governor Susan Kihika.
“This equipment will make the difference between life and death for a newborn requiring immediate support and help us respond to emergencies effectively.”
Valued at Sh50.9 million (approximately 393,717 USD), the distribution forms part of broader U.S.-supported efforts to strengthen Kenya’s health system and expand access to quality care, particularly in underserved areas.
This year alone, the U.S. government has invested over 294 million USD in Kenya’s health sector, supporting national priorities across HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, polio, maternal and child health, and global health security.
“Ensuring that facilities have essential equipment is one of the most practical ways of improving outcomes for mothers and newborns,” said Susan Burns, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Kenya.
“Through our collaboration with the Government of Kenya, we are supporting health facilities to deliver timely, life-saving care where it is needed most.”
The equipment rollout coincided with the International Maternal Newborn Health Conference held from March 23-27, emphasizing joint efforts to strengthen frontline services and reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths.
The equipment will be distributed in Bomet, Bungoma, Busia, Embu, Garissa, Homa Bay, Isiolo, Kajiado, Kakamega, Kilifi, Kirinyaga, Kisii, Kisumu, Kwale, Lamu, Machakos, Mandera, Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru, Narok, Nyamira, Samburu, Siaya, Tana River, Tharaka Nithi, Trans Nzoia, Turkana, Vihiga, Wajir, and West Pokot counties.
