Kenya renews commitment to reduce preventable maternal, newborn deaths

First Lady Rachel Ruto during the Health Summit at KICC. [Courtesy]

This is through increased investment, stronger health systems and closer collaboration between the national and county governments.

First Lady Rachel Ruto welcomed the Government’s intensified efforts to improve maternal and newborn survival.

She acknowledged the sustained investment and skilled health workers in ensuring women and newborns receive quality care.

Mrs Ruto said the recently launched EveryWoman EveryNewborn Everywhere (EWENE) Acceleration Plan 2026 to 2028 had given fresh impetus to efforts to eliminate preventable deaths.

Further, Mrs Ruto highlighted that translating national commitments into improved outcomes would require leadership, adequate investment, skilled healthcare workers, reliable equipment, functional referral systems and accountability across the health sector.

At the same time, the First Lady, who serves as a Goodwill Ambassador for Newborn Screening in Kenya, also welcomed measures under the EWENE plan to expand maternal healthcare coverage through the Social Health Authority (SHA).

In maternal health, she said SHA has strengthened the availability of essential maternal and newborn commodities and family planning supplies, and increased the number of nurses and midwives.

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Kenya’s EWENE framework estimates maternal mortality at about 355 deaths per 100,000 live births, while neonatal mortality stands at approximately 21 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Her sentiments were echoed by Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale, who said the Government had committed Sh12.2 billion to accelerate maternal and newborn survival.

Duale described the investment as a demonstration of high-level political commitment.

The allocation includes Sh4 billion for Level 2 and Level 3 health facilities to strengthen access to delivery and essential newborn care through the primary healthcare fund.

Additional Sh1 billion will support life-saving maternal and newborn commodities, while Sh2.5 billion has been earmarked for family planning services.

A further Sh5 billion will support human resources for health, including the recruitment of 5,000 nurses and midwives over the next six months.

Duale said Kenya’s launch of the EWENE Acceleration Plan in May had positioned maternal and newborn survival as a priority at the highest level of government.

Governors at the Summit welcomed increased cooperation between the national and county governments, noting that ongoing health reforms were beginning to strengthen maternal and newborn services.

Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki said collaboration between the two levels of government, alongside implementation of the SHA, has contributed to improvements in healthcare delivery.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said rehabilitation of Pumwani Maternity Hospital.

This, he said, had significantly increased its capacity for delivery, which stands at between 50 and 80 deliveries daily.

Also present was Director-General for Health Dr Patrick Amoth, who said strengthened accountability and policy interventions across the 47 counties were contributing to improved maternal and child outcomes.

In Pumwani Maternity Hospital, he said 15,000 mothers had delivered without a maternal death.

In Kisii County, no single maternal death has been reported in the past two months.

As Kenya works towards eliminating maternal and child deaths, Amoth said Kenya had the tools and expertise required to accelerate progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

But stressed that success would depend on collective action.

The Kenya Health Summit 2026 brought together national and county governments, health sector leaders, development partners and other stakeholders to review progress and strengthen collective action towards achieving equitable, quality and sustainable healthcare.

The renewed investment in maternal and newborn health signals a broader shift towards strengthening primary healthcare, health workforce capacity and systems that can ensure timely and quality care for women and newborns across the country.