Kenya, Beginnings Fund unveil Sh10.3bn plan to cut maternal, newborn deaths

Kenya and the Beginnings Fund are advancing an $80 million (Sh10.3 billion), five-year investment plan aimed at reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths across the country.

The initiative, co-designed with the government, targets 21 high-burden counties and 200 priority health facilities, with the goal of reaching 5.9 million mothers and newborns with improved healthcare by 2030.

Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr Ouma Oluga on Thursday held a consultative meeting with the fund’s team, led by Chief Executive Officer Alice Kangethe, at Afya House to discuss implementation and coordination of the investment.

The plan covers 20 Level 5 hospitals, 136 Level 4 hospitals and 44 high-volume health centres, with interventions focused on improving the quality of care during pregnancy, childbirth and the newborn period.

Key measures will include strengthening emergency obstetric and newborn care, ensuring the availability of essential medical supplies and technologies, and training and supporting health workers.

The investment will also seek to improve referral systems, access to blood supplies and maternity and newborn care infrastructure.

The Ministry of Health said the initiative would complement the national Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Investment Case and the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere Acceleration Plan.

"The initiative aligns with the national RMNCAH Investment Case and the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere (EWENE) Acceleration Plan, with maternal and newborn health data integrated into TaifaCare to strengthen monitoring and accountability," PS Oluga said.

The government and the Beginnings Fund will establish joint governance arrangements, with Oluga designated to co-chair the Steering Committee overseeing implementation.

The framework will include clearly defined responsibilities, measurable milestones, performance-based financing and county participation. It will also provide for progressive domestic financing to sustain the programme beyond the five-year investment period.

The plan further prioritises specialised training for maternal and newborn health workers and the integration of relevant health data into the TaifaCare system to strengthen monitoring, service delivery and accountability.

By 2030, the investment is expected to prevent an estimated 46,494 maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths.

The consultation brought together Dr David Gathara and Dr Gladwel Gatheca, representing the Ministry of Health’s Director of Family Health, to discuss the implementation pathway.

The partnership comes amid efforts to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes through coordinated government and partner interventions, with the plan seeking to make pregnancies and childbirth safer and improve newborn survival across Kenya.