Kenya needs Sh17 billion to end newborn deaths, MoH says

About 30,000 babies die in the first 28 days.

Health ministry says it needs about Sh17.85 billion (US$138 million) to improve healthcare for infants and prevent the deaths of 47,000 newborns by 2030.

These are children who currently do not survive past their first month of life.

The ministry said the funding would be a smart economic move, as every shilling spent on newborn care is expected to generate about Sh1,500 in economic benefits for the country.

This assessment is outlined in the Strides in Maternal and Newborn Health in Kenya report, released last week.

Quoting the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, the report states that 30,000 babies born in Kenya every year die in the first month due to poor care.

This translates to a neonatal mortality rate of 21 newborns per 1,000 live births.

Neonatal deaths account for 51 per cent of under-five mortality. To reach the global Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of fewer than 12 deaths per 1,000 newborns, a 45 per cent reduction in neonatal mortality is required.

The report indicates that Kenya’s hospitals are currently poorly equipped to prevent these deaths.

“Only 37 per cent of health facilities meet the full criteria for Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEMONC),” it states.

BEMONC consists of seven medical interventions that every health facility must provide 24 hours a day to effectively manage the leading causes of maternal and newborn death.

These services are essential, as they offer immediate front-line clinical response to stabilise mothers and infants during sudden complications, such as severe bleeding or breathing distress, before these manageable conditions become fatal.

The leading causes of neonatal deaths in Kenya are prematurity (34 per cent), birth asphyxia (32 per cent) and sepsis (eight per cent).

The crisis also affects mothers. Kenya has a maternal mortality ratio of 355 deaths per 100,000 live births, equating to approximately 5,000 women and girls dying annually from pregnancy-related complications.

The main causes of maternal deaths are post-partum haemorrhage (37 per cent), eclampsia (22 per cent) and sepsis (12 per cent).

The Sh17.85 billion proposal is part of the ministry’s new Bridging the Gap: Scaling Quality MNH Services for Universal Health Coverage strategy.

This plan focuses on expanding high-quality maternal and newborn health services as a cornerstone of Universal Health Coverage.

“An estimated US$138 million (Sh17 billion) investment is required to scale up newborn care in Kenya in line with government norms and standards across 47 counties and 80 per cent of subcounty facilities,” the ministry said.

As part of BEMONC, more than 4,000 healthcare workers have been trained over the past two years.

“The Government of Kenya has institutionalised the RMNCAH Scorecard and Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response to bridge these gaps,” the report adds.