Report ranks Kenya poorly on healthcare

By Susan Anyangu

Only four of 10 Kenyan women deliver under the care of a skilled birth attendant, a new report shows.

The situation varies in different regions with the case being dire in North Eastern, where more than 90 per cent of women deliver at home thus increasing maternal deaths.

The report, Reproductive Risk Index for Sub-Saharan Africa, paints a grim picture for Kenya on maternal health stating a lack of political will is one of the significant contributors to maternal deaths.

Speaking on Tuesday during the launch of the report, the Centre for the Study of Adolescence Executive Director Rosemarie Muganda questioned Government’s commitment to reduce the number of pregnancy related deaths.

"Every year more than 60,000 women die of pregnancy related complications. If police had killed these women there would be outrage from every quarter. Yet this silent slaughter goes on unnoticed by Kenyans as Government does little to stem the tide," said Ms Muganda.

As the situation on maternal health worsens, it emerges the Government does not prioritise health care, with Treasury allocating only 5.8 per cent of its total budget to the sector.

Not committed

"Despite being a signatory to the Abuja Declaration to devote at least 15 per cent of the total government budget to health, this year the sector only received 5.8 per cent in a budget that was nearly a trillion shillings in total," said Medical Services Minister Anyang’ Nyong’o.

He said in the past 20 years the Government has not been committed to invest in the sector.

"When you compare what the Ministry of Internal Security and Defence get in budgetary allocation, it is almost double that of the two health ministries combined. The Government needs to commit itself to improve health care," he said.

Kenya is ranked among the countries in the ‘very high risk category’ at number 21 of 47.

 

 

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