Despite a significant increase in the number of women giving birth in health facilities, Kenya has made little progress in reducing maternal and newborn deaths over the past decade, according to health experts and recent data. The stagnation is attributed to deep-rooted systemic failures within the healthcare system.
A 2023 report by the Ministry of Health and partners found that while facility-based deliveries rose from 44% to 70% between 2008 and 2022, the maternal mortality ratio has remained high, at approximately 355 deaths per 100,000 live births. Similarly, newborn deaths have shown minimal decline.
Experts identify critical bottlenecks including chronic underfunding of the health sector, acute shortages of skilled healthcare workers, and inconsistent availability of essential medicines and commodities. These gaps mean that even when mothers reach facilities, the quality of care is often inadequate to manage complications during childbirth or the postnatal period.
The situation highlights a global challenge where increasing access to health facilities does not automatically translate to better health outcomes without concurrent investments in staffing, equipment, and overall quality of care.
