The Ministry of Health has held talks with the Beginnings Fund on the implementation of an $80 million (about Ksh10.3 billion) five-year plan aimed at reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths in Kenya.
The plan will also target stillbirths, with interventions expected to reach 5.9 million mothers and newborns by 2030.
Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr Ouma Oluga met a delegation from the Beginnings Fund, led by Chief Executive Officer Alice Kangethe, at Afya House to discuss how the investment will be implemented.
The meeting also brought together Dr David Gathara and Dr Gladwel Gatheca, representing the Ministry of Health’s Director of Family Health.
The investment plan is a joint effort between the Government of Kenya and has been designed to target 21 counties that have a significant number of deaths due to pregnancy and child delivery complications.
The investment plan will target 200 health facilities, which include 20 Level 5 hospitals, 136 Level 4 hospitals, and 44 high-volume health centers.
The program will be geared towards providing emergency obstetric and neonatal care, access to essential medical products and devices, and support to health providers.
It will also target weaknesses in referral systems, blood availability and maternity and newborn care infrastructure.
The plan further seeks to integrate maternal and newborn health data into TaifaCare to improve the monitoring of services and accountability in the use of resources.
The Ministry of Health and the Beginnings Fund will establish joint oversight arrangements, with Oluga set to co-chair the programme’s Steering Committee.
Implementation will involve county governments, clear responsibilities, measurable targets and performance-based financing. The plan also provides for increased domestic financing to help sustain the gains after the five-year investment period.
By 2030, the programme is expected to prevent an estimated 46,494 maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths.
The initiative will complement the government’s Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Investment Case and the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere Acceleration Plan.
