Busia healthcare workers trained on how to curb maternal deaths

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A section of healthcare workers in Busia County has been trained in emergency obstetric and newborn care.

The training, which is a partnership between Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and the county, aims to step up efforts to reduce maternal and newborn deaths.

The training brings to 189 the number of healthcare workers whose capacity has been strengthened under the programme across four cohorts, with a focus on improving the management of pregnancy complications, safer deliveries and newborn survival.

Busia County Executive Committee Member for Health Arthur Odera said the training would strengthen the capacity of health facilities to respond to emergencies during pregnancy, childbirth and immediately after delivery.

“We want every mother in Busia to access quality maternal healthcare and every baby to have a chance to survive. By equipping our health workers with the skills to respond to obstetric and newborn emergencies, we are strengthening our ability to prevent avoidable deaths,” said Odera.

He said the county was working with partners to improve maternal and newborn health services, particularly in facilities handling high numbers of deliveries.

Odera urged expectant mothers to attend antenatal clinics early and deliver in health facilities, saying timely medical attention was essential in identifying pregnancy-related risks and preventing complications from becoming life-threatening.

“Early antenatal visits help health workers identify potential risks, monitor the progress of pregnancies and prepare for complications before they become emergencies. We must encourage more mothers to seek care early and deliver under the supervision of skilled health professionals,” he said.

The latest training comes amid concerns over declining skilled deliveries and low uptake of early antenatal care in the county.

Skilled deliveries in Busia dropped to about 62 per cent by the end of the last financial year, while only about 15 per cent of expectant mothers attended their first antenatal care visit within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

The figures highlight gaps in access to timely maternal healthcare, prompting calls for stronger community awareness and improved access to skilled delivery services.

The latest cohort brought together 36 doctors, obstetricians, nurses and clinical officers drawn from all eight sub-counties. Most participants were selected from hospitals handling high numbers of deliveries.

The health workers received training in Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC), which equips medical personnel with skills to identify and manage complications during pregnancy, childbirth and immediately after delivery.

The programme seeks to improve the management of emergencies that can result in maternal deaths or newborn fatalities if not addressed promptly.

“Emergency obstetric and newborn care is about ensuring that no woman dies during pregnancy or childbirth and that every baby has the best chance of surviving after birth,” said Odera.

Beyond clinical skills, the trainees were equipped to encourage mothers to seek medical attention early and deliver in health facilities where skilled personnel can manage complications.

Timely antenatal care enables medical teams to identify pregnancy-related risks, monitor the health of mothers and babies, and plan for possible complications before delivery.

According to stakeholders, the partnership between CHAI and the county government is expected to strengthen the quality of maternal and newborn services, particularly in facilities with high delivery caseloads.

"Health workers are expected to apply the skills acquired to improve emergency response and the quality of care offered to mothers and newborns across the county," said one of the trainers.