Safe Motherhood
In Kenya, death among mothers and newborn infants
remains unacceptably high. According to the Kenya Demographic
Health Survey (KDHS) of 2003, there are approximately 414 maternal
deaths per 100,000 live births, and an estimated infant mortality
rate of 77.2 per 1000 live births. While most of these maternal
deaths are related to complications of unsafe abortions, complications
during and after delivery, particularly infection, haemorrhage,
and high blood pressure contribute also to the deaths of mothers
and infants. The goal for Safe Motherhood and Child Survival programmes
in Kenya is to reduce maternal and child mortality and morbidity.
However, the Kenyan health system faces the following challenges
to safe motherhood, among others:
- General shortage of medical staff
- Inadequate access to skilled care during pregnancy,
delivery and after delivery, especially among the rural and
urban poor
- poor infrastructure
- socio-economic and cultural barriers to seeking
care
The DRH in collaboration with its development partners
is working to improve maternal and child health by advocating
for safe motherhood, building capacity of health service staff,
and improving service delivery and provision of supplies and equipment.
These interventions are based on family planning and pre-pregnancy
care, focused antenatal care, prevention of mother-to-child transmission
of HIV, post-abortion care, clean and safe deliveries, essential
obstetric care, essential neonatal care, and targeted postpartum
care.
Priority actions to promote safe motherhood aim
to ensure that:
- all women receive or have access to information
on reproductive health, counselling and services for prevention
of unwanted pregnancies;
- all pregnant women have access to skilled medical
care during and after pregnancy, and care for the newborn;
- geographic, socio-cultural, economic, legal and
regulatory barriers that impede access to skilled health care
are addressed;
- The capacity of the health system at all levels
is strengthened for efficient and effective delivery of reproductive
services.
To date, the DRH has implemented more than 20 projects
in Kenya, to address safe motherhood and child survival. Recent
initiatives in the country include updating the standards and
national guidelines for maternal and child care, and the promotion
of community midwifery, as well as promoting focused antenatal
care services and integrating the management of malaria in pregnancy.
Some of the partners that DRH collaborates with on
Safe Motherhood activities in Kenya include including the Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Deutsche Gesellschaft
fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), the United States Agency
for International Development (USAID), John Snow Inc. (JSI), the
Department for International Development (DfiD), Population Council,
JHPIEGO and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
