A few days after the world marked Mother’s Day, let us spare a moment and reflect about the health of the Kenyan mum.
Mothers continue to play a pivotal role in our homes, communities and the country. Today’s mother is not only a homemaker but also a breadwinner and decision-maker. We have seen women trailblazers in many sectors.
However, countless women continue to struggle with poverty and health problems, especially reproductive health cancers such as breast, ovarian and cervical; postpartum depression; fistula and other gynaecological problems. Others find it difficult to access maternal care during antenatal visits, labour and after delivery due to long distances and lack of funds.
Giving birth should be a moment of joy and awe but for many mothers, this moment becomes one of loss, leaving untold grief and misery to their loved ones. Most maternal deaths are attributed to women giving birth without a skilled birth attendant.
It is in acknowledging that “one death during delivery is one too many” that the government prioritised maternal health services, including funding free maternity to a tune of Sh4 billion annually.
Budgetary allocation for family planning and reproductive health commodities continues to increase annually from Sh245 million for the financial year 2019-20 to Sh559.3 million (GoK) and Sh1.1 billion grant. The proposed budget for 2021-22 is Sh863 million (GoK) and Sh1.2 billion grant.
The ministry has also intensified the Maternal Perinatal Deaths and Surveillance Response, where all maternal deaths must be audited, notified and reported.
Towards this end, the ministry has launched an introspective report, the first ever-Confidential Enquiry in Maternal Deaths. Most importantly, there is a deep political commitment from the President.
There has been increased financing of interventions such as free maternal deliveries, family planning commodities as well as integration of reproductive health and HIV services.
The First Lady's Beyond Zero campaign has placed 54 mobile clinics in all the 47 counties to increase coverage of maternal, newborn and child health services. Other efforts have focused on strengthening community midwifery practice and helping traditional birth attendants become advocates of safe motherhood.
These investments have not gone unnoticed, as Kenya is viewed as one of the best in terms of performance in reproductive and maternal health services by the East African Community and won a global award (FP2020 Excell) in family planning as the best-improved country in contraceptive prevalence rate in 2015.
We must strive to expand access to voluntary family planning to empower, promote and advance the lives of all women of reproductive age without leaving anyone behind.
I urge all Kenyan mothers to attend all the four recommended antenatal visits, as they help to detect and manage a complication at an early stage. Women who attend the ANC also stand a high chance of giving birth with a skilled attendant, which goes a long way in saving lives.
Fathers and partners, do support our mothers in this precious journey. Together, Kenyans, the government and our development partners can improve the health of our mothers significantly.
Principal Secretary, Ministry of Health
