Media personalities Dj Soxxy, Femi One, Mashirima Kapombe, and Kambua pose for a photo during a roundtable maternal health initiative spearheaded by the #Better4Kenya event at the Dusit Princess Hotel on September 4, 2025./DOUGLAS OKIDDYMen have been called upon to show support for women during their pre- and postnatal periods to avert maternal health problems that usually arise due to pressure on expectant women.
This emerged during a roundtable discussion organized by the ‘#Better4Kenya' organisation.
The forum brought together influencers, policy makers, and advocates.
Health experts emphasised the need for men and the communities to show intentional involvement in the care and support for women before and after conception.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the country's maternal mortality ratio remains high at 355 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Media personalities Dj Soxxy, Femi One, Mashirima Kapombe, and Kambua pose for a photo during a roundtable maternal health initiative spearheaded by the #Better4Kenya event at the Dusit Princess Hotel on September 4, 2025./DOUGLAS OKIDDYIn the context of Kenya, the advocates noted that male involvement is particularly critical given cultural and societal norms that traditionally exclude men from maternal health roles.
Voices advocating for men’s active participation in maternal health have gained momentum, with influencers and advocates coming out to ask men to get involved.
Jackson Kamau, an advocate for equity rights and an influencer who was among the advocates in the discussion on men's involvement, has called on men to understand that pregnancy is for both the man and the woman and should not be left for women alone.
He emphasised that maternal health should not be seen as a “women’s issue” but as a family matter.
“Children are not just my wife’s children; they are our children,” he said.
He urged fellow men to actively support their wives through pregnancy, delivery, and beyond.
Media personalities Dj Soxxy, Femi One, Mashirima Kapombe, and Kambua pose for a photo during a roundtable maternal health initiative spearheaded by the #Better4Kenya event at the Dusit Princess Hotel on September 4, 2025./DOUGLAS OKIDDY“Being financially prepared is not for women alone, and it is the prerogative of men to support their women through the whole pregnancy period and after delivery to prevent them from being emotionally drained,” he noted
He challenges societal norms that expect women to carry the emotional and physical burdens alone.
“Let us not be men who let our wives take all the baggage,” he said.
Ashley Odhiambo, the organizer of Beta4Kenya, supported the call by Kamau, saying that indeed men too have a role to play when it comes to maternal health.
“Other than the women influencers here, I welcomed DJ Soxxy to represent the men and to make men understand that when a woman becomes pregnant, even the man needs to know he is pregnant too,” she says.
Kamau highlights that in many Kenyan communities, men hold decision-making power around healthcare access, and without their engagement, women face barriers to timely and facility-based care.
He encouraged men to accompany their wives to antenatal clinics, help with household chores, and be aware of pregnancy danger signs so they can act swiftly.
Ultimately, the advocates and influencers agreed that ending preventable maternal deaths is not only about improving healthcare services but also about mobilising men and entire communities as active partners in maternal health.
Martha Aosa, Communications & Programs (left) and Ashley Odhiambo, Gender Equality Director, pose for a photo during a roundtable maternal health initiative spearheaded by the #Better4Kenya event at the Dusit Princess Hotel on September 4, 2025./DOUGLAS OKIDDY
