Pregnancy-linked deaths worry as daily toll hits 13
By George Kebaso, July 12, 2025At least 13 women die every day in Kenya due to pregnancy-related complications, as the country continues to fall short of its 2001 Abuja Declaration commitment, in which African presidents pledged to allocate 15 per cent of their national budgets to the health sector.
Reproductive health experts warn that the situation remains dire. For the 2025/2026 financial year, Kenya allocated only Ksh138.1 billion to health—just 3.22 per cent of the Ksh4.3 trillion national budget.
Dr Kireki Omanwa, President of the Kenya Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society (KOGS), expressed concern over the persistently high maternal mortality rate.
Kenya records approximately 355 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births—translating to around 5,000 women and girls dying annually due to pregnancy-related complications.
“While access to skilled birth attendants has improved, over 80 per cent of maternal deaths are linked to inadequate quality of care,” Dr Omanwa said during the unveiling of new Labour, Delivery, and Recovery (LDR) suites at The Nairobi Hospital—a significant milestone in advancing maternal and neonatal care.
He lamented the government’s consistent underinvestment in maternal healthcare. “We have a budget declaration that requires us to allocate 15 per cent to health. We rarely reach even 4 per cent,” he said, noting that the Society has raised this concern multiple times.
“As a society, we urge both the national and county governments to invest more in maternal care. When we lose a mother, the impact can be felt across three or four generations,” Dr Omanwa added.
However, he noted that with proper investment and integrated care systems, maternal deaths can be significantly reduced.
He commended The Nairobi Hospital for designing facilities that respond quickly to emergencies, saying such a model should be replicated in other public and private hospitals.
“In an emergency, if medications and commodities are readily available and the healthcare team is fully prepared, we can save mothers’ lives. But this requires investment,” he emphasised.
“We applaud what Nairobi Hospital has done. If this model is replicated, it would be a game-changer—for our mothers, our newborns, and our nation.”
To demonstrate what’s possible, The Nairobi Hospital officially launched its state-of-the-art Labour, Delivery, and Recovery (LDR) suites—six fully equipped rooms designed to support up to 90 births per month.
The suites offer a seamless, patient-centred approach by combining labour, delivery, and postnatal recovery in a single, private medical suite—reducing transfers and improving both medical outcomes and emotional well-being.
Dr Barcley Onyambu, Chairman of The Nairobi Hospital Board, said the launch reflects the hospital’s ongoing commitment to delivering world-class care centred on patient dignity and choice.
“Childbirth is a profound moment in a family’s life. Our LDR suites ensure this happens in a setting designed for safety, comfort, and dignity,” he said.
The investment aligns with the hospital’s goal to modernise maternal care and support Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda.
The LDR suites are fully integrated with the Social Health Authority (SHA), Kenya’s digital health financing platform.
This integration reduces out-of-pocket expenses, streamlines reimbursements, and enhances financial transparency.
“No mother should face financial uncertainty during childbirth,” said Dr Agnes Gachoki, Chairperson of the Medical Advisory Committee.
“By integrating SHA, we ensure that even mothers under government-sponsored UHC schemes can access high-quality, respectful care.”
Dr John Ondero Ongech, Chairperson of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Committee, emphasised a new philosophy in maternal care.
“These suites represent our shift toward integrated, emotionally intelligent care,” he said. “Gone are the days of transferring mothers between wards. Now, we prioritise medical excellence and psychological safety—empowering every woman with dignity and choice.”
The suites are staffed by a multidisciplinary team of obstetricians, midwives, paediatricians, and anaesthetists, supported by real-time digital monitoring systems to ensure rapid and accurate decision-making.
“This isn’t just about delivering babies,” added Dr. Ongech. “It’s about delivering a better future—one birth at a time.
The LDR suites mark another chapter in The Nairobi Hospital’s history of clinical leadership. Last month, the hospital introduced the AI-powered Siemens SOMATOM Drive 256-slice CT scanner to enhance diagnostics and tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
To celebrate the milestone and improve access to diagnostic care, the hospital is offering a 10% discount on all CT scan services through July 15, 2025.