Why Is Kenya Still Failing Its Mothers? The
Time for Maternal Health Justice Is Now
Every time Kenya delays passing the Maternal Health Bill, more women die.
That’s not political drama—it’s the truth. Giving birth in Kenya should not be a death sentence, yet for far too many women, it still is.
Where is the urgency?
Mothers across the country are suffering in silence.
Some walk for miles just to reach a health facility—only to find there's no doctor, no equipment, no medicine.
Others are turned away because they can’t afford care. Many give birth in unsafe conditions, praying they’ll survive. And when tragedy strikes, the system offers little more than silence.
And for women with disabilities? The silence is even louder.
Kenya’s healthcare system continues to neglect women with disabilities during pregnancy and childbirth.
Hospitals are rarely accessible. Staff are often untrained in how to support or communicate with them.
And too often, they’re treated as invisible or unworthy of care. The current Maternal Health Bill doesn’t even mention them. How can we claim progress if we’re not protecting the most vulnerable?
Discrimination in hospitals is not a rare horror story—it’s a daily reality. Women are mocked, ignored, or mistreated because they are poor, young, from rural areas, or simply because they “ask too many questions.”
This isn’t just disrespectful—it’s dangerous. And when something goes wrong, there’s often nowhere safe to report it, let alone seek justice.
That has to change now.
Every moment we delay, more mothers suffer and more lives are lost. The decision-makers in this country must understand that when we fail to prioritise maternal health, we are not just neglecting a group of people - we are sacrificing the future of our nation.
These women are the backbone of our society, nurturing the next generation, yet their dignity and right to life are continuously disregarded. Our health system’s failure to treat them with the respect they deserve isn’t just a policy failure - it’s a moral failure.
It is time for all of us - government officials, healthcare providers, citizens - to step up and demand a maternal health system that values every life equally. The time for action is now. We can no longer afford to wait. Every delay costs a life, and every life lost is a tragedy we could have prevented.
Maternal care is not a luxury.
It’s right. It should never depend on your wallet, your location, or your physical ability.
And yet, right now, that’s exactly what’s happening in Kenya. If you can afford a private hospital, maybe you’ll be fine. If you’re in a rural village? You’re on your own.
So what needs to happen?
First, the Maternal Health Bill must be passed - and fast. Lives are on the line. But just passing the Bill isn’t enough.
It must be inclusive. It must protect women with disabilities. It must set up real accountability systems, where women can report abuse and know they’ll be heard. And it must ensure every woman, everywhere, has access to respectful, safe, quality care.
This is not just a health issue. It’s a justice issue. A human rights issue. A national crisis that demands real leadership.
We can’t keep waiting.
We can’t keep losing mothers to preventable causes while politicians debate. We can’t keep accepting a system that treats women’s lives as optional. If we want a strong, healthy Kenya, it starts with caring for our mothers.
And that starts now!
Josephine Mwende Kamene is Nguvu Change Leader & Disability
Rights Advocate
