Improve maternal healthcare for women with disabilities

Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa cuddles a young child at Lumakanda maternity ward wing at Lugari Sub-county on October 16, 2023. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

High maternal mortality rate remains a disaster in Africa, according to World Health Organisation's Africa Regional Office. The latest report by WHO-Afro indicates that while global maternal mortality rate reduced by 34.2 per cent from 2000 to 2020, 69 per cent of maternal deaths still occur in the continent.

Kenya is one of the eight African countries with very high maternal mortality of 530 deaths in every 100,000 live births. This is way too far from the global commitment of 70 maternal deaths per 100, 000 live births by 2030. Between 2017 and 2020 alone, Kenya witnessed a 55 per cent increase in maternal mortality. Regrettably, these alarming statistics are dead silent on women with disabilities.