The government has established a National MPDSR ( National Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response) Steering Committee that will address issues concerning preventable deaths among Maternal and Newborn Deaths across the country, with Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale at the helm.
This is also a step towards the achievement of Universal Health Coverage, with Kenya restating its commitment that “no woman should die giving birth, and no baby should die from preventable causes.”
The initiative will be carried out with the help of the EWENE Acceleration Plan.
In his speech during the launch, CS Duale explained that the MPDSR will work from the lower level, starting with the health facilities, then moving upwards to sub-counties and eventually counties. “If a death among mothers and their newborns is reported, a review will take place, and actions will be taken to prevent such deaths from happening again.”
The review will help the country understand the gaps that exist with regard to emergency obstetric care, referral services, blood supplies, essential medicines, and human resources.
“MPDSR turns every death into a lesson, and with that, we will always protect mothers and their newborns from such deaths,” Duale emphasized.
The government also announced several supporting steps. Reimbursements for those in Level 2 and Level 3 facilities will be provided through the Social Health Authority. In addition, the ambulance referral systems will be improved.
The SHA benefits package will also be reviewed in line with national standards in maternal and newborn care. There will be efforts to improve blood banks in order to overcome shortages. Counties will be urged to invest in recruiting, training, and motivating their health workers.
Duale urged all health providers to show professionalism, dignity, and compassion in maternal and newborn care. He also urged the Steering Committee to make tangible improvements in facilities, referral systems, supply chains, financing, and health workers.
The event was attended by Principal Secretaries, including Mary Muthoni, who is in charge of Public Health and Professional Standards, and Dr. Ouma Oluga, who is in charge of Medical Services.
There was also Health DG Dr. Patrick Amoth, Council of Governors CEO Mary Mwiti, and development partners from UNFPA, UNICEF, and WHO. This is seen as a major government initiative aimed at saving mothers’ and babies’ lives, building a stronger health system in Kenya.
