Midwives lead new push to end preventable deaths in Busia

In a bid to reduce maternal and infant mortality in Western Kenya, the Midwives Association of Kenya (MAK), in partnership with the Busia County Government, has launched a new branch in Busia under the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere (EWENE) initiative.

The branch, hosted at Alupe University, was unveiled alongside the rollout of the EWENE Initiative, a targeted campaign aimed at eliminating preventable maternal and newborn deaths through grassroots health empowerment and strategic clinical partnerships.

The launch was held under the theme: "A Global Call for One Million More Midwives in the Healthcare System."

Speaking during the event, MAK National Secretary Dr Sally Oronje described the initiative as more than an administrative milestone, saying it represents a critical intervention for a healthcare system facing significant workforce challenges.

"Our focus is to have more workforce in the healthcare system so that we can curb the mortality rate in the country rate especially in Busia where we still have high rate of mortality and Neonatal deaths which are high in rural areas and we want to put to an end such cases,"said Oronje.

Busia County Nurse Coordinator Juliet Kilima said empowering midwives remains one of the most effective ways of improving maternal and newborn health outcomes in the region.

"This is more than just the launch of an association; it is the birth of a movement dedicated to strengthening midwifery practice and advancing maternal and newborn health," said Kilima.

She noted that the contribution of midwives is often overlooked despite their critical role in ensuring safe deliveries and healthy newborns.

"Behind every healthy mother and thriving newborn is frequently an intervention of a midwife whose expertise and compassion makes the difference and their role is critical, yet often deeply underappreciated," she said.

Kilima acknowledged that while Kenya has made progress in reducing maternal deaths over the past decade, Busia County continues to grapple with high maternal mortality rates, neonatal deaths and rising cases of adolescent pregnancies.

"This Initiative is designed to confront these specific vulnerabilities by building leadership capacity among local midwives and fostering tight-knit collaboration between academic institutions like Alupe University and community health volunteers. The initiative aims to build a sustainable safety net for expectant mothers," said Kilima.

She added that staff shortages continue to affect healthcare delivery, particularly in rural facilities, leaving many health centres understaffed.

Kilima said Governor Paul Otuoma's administration has committed to recruiting and providing specialised training for more midwives to bridge the current patient-to-provider gap.

"An institutional coalition between government, academia, and professional bodies is the only viable path forward and we hope that the new MAK Busia Branch will serve as a fierce advocate for midwives' welfare, continuous medical education, and standard of care," she said.