NAIROBI, Kenya — Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr Ouma Oluga has called for urgent, strategic partnerships across Kenya’s health sector to curb the country’s persistently high rates of maternal and neonatal mortality.
Speaking at the opening of a three-day maternal and neonatal health co-creation workshop in Nairobi on Tuesday, Dr Oluga acknowledged that despite ongoing government interventions, maternal deaths in Kenya remain unacceptably high—significantly above global targets.
“I know when it comes to deaths, we should not compare ourselves, but we are doing horribly bad compared to our neighbours,” Dr Oluga said.
According to the latest 2024 USAID report on Preventing Child and Maternal Deaths, Kenya records 594 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, a rate more than eight times higher than the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 70 per 100,000 by 2030.
‘Inclusive action is key’
Dr Oluga said that while the SDG target is ambitious, it is still attainable if all key players—including national and county governments, development partners, and local communities—coordinate their efforts more effectively.
“We must move beyond fragmented approaches and create sustainable, inclusive solutions that prioritise the lives of mothers and newborns,” he said.
The workshop, bringing together key players such as Amref Health Africa, UNITAID, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), and Ministry of Health officials, seeks to develop innovative strategies to enhance the delivery of maternal and newborn care.
Global health setbacks threaten progress
The PS’s remarks come amid global concern over declining investments in maternal health.
A recent joint UN report warned that widespread funding cuts are driving the closure of health facilities, triggering shortages of trained personnel and lifesaving supplies such as medicines to treat haemorrhage, malaria, and pre-eclampsia—conditions responsible for most maternal deaths.
“When a mother dies in pregnancy or childbirth, her baby’s life is also at risk. Too often, both are lost to causes we know how to prevent,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell in the report.
Russell warned that fragile health systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, are being further strained by these cuts, putting millions of mothers and babies at greater risk.
“The world must urgently invest in midwives, nurses, and community health workers to ensure every mother and baby has a chance to survive and thrive,” she added.
Kenya’s workshop is expected to result in a roadmap that outlines targeted, collaborative actions aimed at reducing maternal and neonatal deaths and accelerating progress towards national and global health targets.
