Kenya among 10 African nations to benefit from birth safety fund
Despite improvements, Kenya's maternal mortality rate is 342 deaths per 100,000 live births and neonatal mortality is 21 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey.
What you need to know:
- Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most dangerous region in the world to give birth, with women 130 times more likely to die during childbirth than in high-income countries. Newborn deaths account for nearly half of all under-five deaths in the region.
Kenya is among 10 African countries set to benefit from a landmark Sh64.67 billion ($500 million) health fund launched by Abu Dhabi to tackle maternal and newborn mortality across the continent.
The Africa Maternal and Newborn Health Initiative, announced at a high-level summit in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital, represents one of the most significant international investments to tackle preventable maternal and child deaths in sub-Saharan Africa.
The initiative, now known as the Beginnings Fund, brings together global philanthropists, African governments and health providers, including the Gates Foundation, the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, the Elma Foundation and the Delta Foundation. The goal is to save lives of 300,000 mothers and newborns and improve the quality of care for 34 million mothers and babies by 2030.
The funding is expected to help fill the significant funding gap created by USAID's recent announcement of reduced support for maternal and newborn health programs in some African countries
Other beneficiaries are Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Lesotho, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe, countries with some of the highest maternal and newborn mortality rates in the world.
"African governments, supported by philanthropic and bilateral organisations, are leading the way in advancing maternal and newborn health through groundbreaking innovations. The continent is making significant progress, but sustainable change requires collective action. I express my gratitude to the African governments, national organisations and experts, as well as our founding investors, who are part of this unique collaborative effort to drive lasting change across Africa," said Alice Kang'ethe, chief executive officer of the Beginnings Fund.
Safe childbirth
This fund comes at a crucial time for Kenya. While the country has made progress in expanding maternal health coverage through initiatives such as Linda Mama and the Beyond Zero campaign, serious disparities remain; particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, informal settlements and insecure areas.
Despite improvements, Kenya's maternal mortality rate is 342 deaths per 100,000 live births and neonatal mortality is 21 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey.
These figures highlight the ongoing challenges in ensuring safe childbirth and adequate infant care, particularly in rural and underserved counties.
However, the new fund provides a timely boost to national efforts to strengthen maternal health systems and achieve universal health coverage.
Counties such as Mandera, Turkana, Wajir and Kakamega continue to report alarmingly high maternal and infant mortality rates due to factors such as a shortage of skilled birth attendants, poor transport networks and under-resourced health facilities.
Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most dangerous region in the world to give birth, with women 130 times more likely to die during childbirth than in high-income countries. Newborn deaths account for nearly half of all under-five deaths in the region.
It is estimated that 70 to 80 per cent of maternal and newborn deaths in Africa are preventable through access to proven interventions such as clean deliveries, skilled attendance at birth, post-natal care and newborn resuscitation.
"The world has made significant progress in reducing maternal and child deaths over the past two decades, thanks to dedicated health workers and governments, as well as investment and technical expertise. However, every seven seconds, a mother or child dies from preventable causes. We welcome the launch of the Beginnings Fund and look forward to working with all stakeholders to end these preventable tragedies," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organisation.
