Omanghana
Hundreds of women continue to die from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications in Kenya every year, highlighting persistent weaknesses in the country’s healthcare system.
Although nearly 90% of expectant mothers now deliver in healthcare facilities, health experts say increased access to clinics has not produced a corresponding decline in maternal deaths. They argue that arriving at a health facility does not always guarantee timely and adequate life-saving treatment.
Kenya’s national maternal mortality ratio is estimated at about 355 deaths per 100,000 live births. The situation is considerably worse in some parts of the country, particularly rural and underserved communities.
In Kilifi County, for example, maternal mortality is estimated at 532 deaths per 100,000 live births, illustrating the significant regional inequalities in access to quality healthcare.
Public health assessments indicate that many maternal deaths occur after patients have already reached medical facilities. Delays in emergency treatment, inadequate monitoring and failures to identify clinical warning signs have contributed to preventable fatalities.
Shortages of essential medicines also remain a major challenge. Hospitals and rural health centers frequently experience limited supplies of oxytocin, which is used to manage postpartum haemorrhagic, and magnesium sulphate, an important treatment for preeclampsia and eclampsia.
Postpartum hemorrhage, which involves severe bleeding after childbirth, can become fatal within a short period if appropriate medication, blood and trained medical personnel are unavailable.
Blood shortages compound the problem, particularly when critically ill mothers require emergency transfusions. In some facilities, clinicians are forced to wait for blood supplies or refer patients elsewhere while their conditions deteriorate.
Weak referral systems create further risks. Many primary healthcare facilities lack functional ambulances, properly equipped operating theatres and specialists capable of managing obstetric emergencies.
Patients requiring surgery or advanced treatment may consequently wait for hours before being transferred to referral hospitals. Poor road networks and long travelling distances can further delay access to emergency care.
Staffing shortages are another significant concern. Midwives, nurses and doctors in high-volume facilities often care for more patients than they can safely manage.
Heavy workloads and prolonged shifts increase employee burnout and raise the risk that complications may be missed during labor or immediately after delivery.
In response, the Kenyan government has introduced the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere Acceleration Plan for 2026 to 2028.
The initiative aims to reduce the country’s maternal mortality ratio to no more than 140 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2028.
Under the plan, the government is allocating KSh 4 billion through the Social Health Authority to support maternal healthcare coverage.
An additional KSh 1 billion has been earmarked for the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority to improve access to essential maternal health medicines and commodities. The government also plans to provide KSh 2.5 billion for family planning supplies.
The strategy includes the deployment of 5,000 additional nurses and midwives to frontline healthcare facilities across the country.
Health advocates maintain that achieving the target will require more than increasing the number of facility-based deliveries. They are calling for reliable medicine and blood supplies, functioning referral systems, sufficient staffing and stronger accountability for the quality of care provided to mothers.
Without sustained improvements in these areas, experts warn that many Kenyan women will remain at risk even after reaching a health facility for childbirth.
Source: Omanghana
