No woman should die giving birth

NAIROBI: Over 6,000 women die each year at childbirth in Kenya. At a meeting with religious leaders on March 4, President Kenyatta remarked, “Childbirth should be a joyous moment for families and communities and mothers are the gateway to family and child health”. He added, “It is therefore a matter of great concern to my Government that in this country, as many as 21 women die every day while giving birth.” March 8 is International Women’s Day, a day when we celebrate the gains women have made, take stock of progress and outstanding challenges and rededicate ourselves to making a difference in the lives of women and girls.

The theme of 2015 International Women’s day “Make it happen” resonates strongly in Kenya. Unusually high levels of maternal deaths have given Kenya the dubious distinction of being one of the most dangerous countries in which to give birth. At the same time the crisis of maternal deaths has unleashed a groundswell of action from a cross section of actors which is already delivering results. We celebrate a fast expanding network of partnerships with the Government of Kenya which made free maternity services one of its first policy changes in 2013. The number of women delivering at health facilities is steadily increasing. In the last eight months since August 2014 Governors and parliamentarians from the 15 counties, which contribute to over 98 per cent maternal deaths in the country, have signed a Communiqué, to end maternal deaths in their respective counties.