In a move against preventable maternal and infant deaths, Shina Foundation, founded led by former Makueni First Lady Nazi Kivutha, has become a cornerstone of the Gates Foundation backed Okoa Mama na Mtoto Initiative (OMMI).
Spearheaded by the International Centre for Reproductive Health–Kenya (ICRH-K), OMMI mobilises health and media partners to curb the nation’s staggering rates of pregnancy-related fatalities.
This week in Kilifi County, one of twelve high-risk regions targeted by the three-year pilot, Nazi Kivutha joined local leadership to discuss the Foundation’s campaign.
Engaging the Governor, County Assembly Speaker, Women’s Representative, Senator and Commissioner, Shina Foundation has zeroed in on critical sub-counties such as Rabai, Ganze and Kilifi South, while ensuring county-wide support for improved maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition services are rolled out.
The urgency is stark: nearly 295,000 women die globally each year from childbirth complications, and 2.5 million newborns perish within 24 hours of birth.
In Kenya, the neonatal death rate stands at 21 per 1,000 live births, a figure the country must slash to 12 by 2030 to meet Sustainable Development Goals it is currently off track to achieve.
Shina Foundation operates alongside organisations and grassroots groups, and medical bodies, including; International Centre for Reproductive Health–Kenya (ICRH-K), MoH, Ushiriki Wema, Lwala Community Alliance, KMTC and KOGS, each responsible for locally tailored action plans touching on nutrition, skilled delivery and neonatal care.
“Transforming care for mothers and babies demands more than intervention; it requires lasting change,” Nazi Kivutha asserted.
As Kenya races toward its 2030 targets, its women-led, community-driven model offers a hopeful blueprint for saving lives where it matters most.
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