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Kenya is set to expand access to maternal and newborn healthcare through a new partnership that will see the construction of 10 Mother and Child hospitals across the country, in an effort aimed at cutting deaths linked to pregnancy and early childhood while advancing Universal Health Coverage.

President William Ruto said the programme will be implemented in collaboration with Amsons Group and will focus on improving the quality and reach of maternal health services, especially in areas where access has remained limited for years.

Speaking during the announcement at State House, Nairobi on Wednesday, the President said the initiative is part of wider efforts to improve health outcomes for mothers and children and close gaps in service delivery.

“This is another decisive step in our journey to secure better, safer outcomes for mothers and newborns across our country,” he said.

He added that the programme will rely on cooperation between government and private sector players to ensure long-term impact and sustainability.

“It is a shared responsibility to build, equip, staff and sustain facilities for health delivery and to ensure that they deliver outcomes for mothers and children,” he said.

Under the arrangement, Amsons Group will take charge of financing the construction of the 10 hospitals, while the government will provide land, medical equipment and health workers needed to run the facilities.

Each of the hospitals will be fitted with antenatal care units, maternal intensive care sections, labour and delivery wards, recovery rooms and operating theatres to handle both routine and emergency cases.

President Ruto said the facilities will be located in counties identified as underserved, with Nairobi, Kwale and other areas with high need among the planned beneficiaries.

He noted that the siting of the hospitals was guided by fairness and the need to ensure wider access to care across the country.

He said the goal is to make sure “communities long and wide gain access to quality, affordable and reliable health.”

The President linked the project to Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage plan, saying the new hospitals will strengthen basic health services while also improving higher-level care through upgraded Level 4 and Level 5 facilities.

He added that the rollout will support both prevention and treatment systems within the health sector.

Kenya continues to face challenges in maternal and newborn health. Data from the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS 2022) shows the maternal mortality ratio stands at about 355 deaths for every 100,000 live births. Neonatal deaths are estimated at 21 per 1,000 live births. Health experts note that many of these deaths can be avoided with timely access to skilled care.

President Ruto said the new plan, together with global efforts such as “Every Woman, Every Newborn, Everywhere,” will help speed up progress in reducing these numbers.

“We are taking decisive action to change this reality,” he said, adding that health “must never be a privilege for those who can afford it, but a right for every Kenyan as provided in our Constitution.”

The government said preparatory work for the project will be completed within weeks before construction begins.