The Ministry of Health has identified over 20 counties for a strategic intervention plan aimed at reducing the country’s high maternal mortality rates.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale expressed concern that the counties were mapped out after recording some of the highest maternal death rates in the country.
To address the challenges, the ministry is set to roll out a targeted initiative dubbed ‘No Woman Should Die While Giving Life’ through deliberate actions to improve access to skilled birth attendants, quality healthcare, and better healthcare systems.
Additionally, the government will scale up its healthcare financing efforts, utilising data-driven planning to tailor interventions to each county’s specific needs.
The CS was responding to a damning report on Kenya’s maternal mortality rate due to alleged delays in emergency response, understaffed facilities, and shortages of critical supplies.
“No mother who visits any of our health care centres not as a patient but healthy and happy should die? Already introducing a key strategy that is dubbed “ No Woman Should Die While Giving Life” through deliberate actions to improved access to skilled birth attendants, quality healthcare, and better healthcare systems”, Duale said.
“We shall be improving healthcare financing and using data to plan for county-specific needs. Over 20 counties are on the radar for high maternal mortality rates. We are already acting as a ministry”, he assured.
As a preventive measure, the Cabinet Secretary advised women to begin early and regular prenatal care, and to ensure they attend postpartum checkups to monitor and address any complications after delivery.
“We urge our women to start prenatal care early, seeing a health care provider throughout the pregnancy, and being sure to attend postpartum visits can help to prevent and treat severe pregnancy-related complications”.
According to the Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) report, Siaya, Tana River, Garissa, and Isiolo have been identified as counties with the highest facility maternal mortality rates.
On the other hand, Vihiga, Baringo, Nandi and Nyamira are Kenya’s safest counties for childbirth. The report, the second that the Ministry of Health has produced, analysed data from the health departments on nearly 2,500 deaths in the counties submitted to the national government between 2020 and 2022. Kenya produced the first MPDSR in 2021.
The MOH analysis put the overall maternal mortality ratio in Kenya at 355 per 100,000 live births, with high numbers of deaths resulting from postpartum haemorrhage.
