Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja./FILENairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has revealed that his personal family history is the driving force behind his push to improve maternal and newborn healthcare in the capital, saying his own survival as a premature baby shaped his commitment to reducing maternal mortality.
Speaking on the second day of the Kenya Health Summit at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, Sakaja recounted the struggles his mother endured before he was born, including the loss of three children.
"Many people may not know why I am very passionate about issues of maternal mortality," Sakaja said.
He said his mother had suffered three pregnancy losses before giving birth to his eldest sister.
"My late mother had lost three children before my eldest sister was born. She had difficulty with pregnancy, so the first three died," he said.
According to the governor, doctors later advised his mother that she should only have two children because of the complications she had experienced.
However, he said his father wanted a son and insisted they have another child.
"She was told that she can have only two, and of course you know African men, they want to have a boy," Sakaja said.
He said he was eventually born prematurely at a time when neonatal care was limited.
"I was born premature, and in the 80s, I think it was very difficult to get an incubator," he said.
Sakaja recalled being transferred to another health facility where he spent a long time in an incubator before surviving.
"I was in an incubator for a long time, and so, and now I'm here, by the way. I survived," he said.
The governor said that experience has influenced his decisions since taking office.
"When I became governor, I realised that Nairobi had no neonatal ICUs at all," he said, adding that the information came from his county health officials.
"I said this story must change."
Sakaja said Nairobi has since expanded specialised newborn care, pointing to Nancy Kerubo, who was in the crowd, as one of the beneficiaries.
"That child is one of the products of our neonatal ICU in Mbagathi that I made sure that we have," he said.
He added that the county has also promoted kangaroo mother care and encouraged fathers to participate.
"We have now encouraged men, the fathers, to also do kangaroo," he said.
Whenever he visits the units, Sakaja said he reassures mothers of premature babies.
"I tell them, you know what, don't worry if your child is born small. Even me, I was born small. Your child can become a governor, can become a lawyer, can become a doctor, just to give them hope in the community."
The governor said the county has significantly expanded maternal and newborn healthcare infrastructure during his administration.
"From zero, we have 23 neonatal ICU beds in Nairobi. We have 224 newborn unit beds in the last few years, since I became governor," he said.
He added that expansion is ongoing at Pumwani Maternity Hospital, Mbagathi Hospital, Mama Margaret Uhuru Hospital and Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital.
Sakaja also said Pumwani, once frequently associated with negative reports, has made notable progress.
"We have recorded zero maternal deaths," he said, describing the hospital as "the biggest maternal facility south of the Sahara, north of the Limpopo."
He said the facility continues to handle between 50 and 80 deliveries daily while other county hospitals, including Mbagathi and Mutuini, have also strengthened maternal and newborn services.
