Health Principal Secretary (PS) for Medical Services Ouma Oluga has outlined measures aimed at reducing maternal deaths in Kenya, saying the country is working toward achieving a target of 70 deaths per 100,000 live births through reforms across health facilities.

Speaking during an interview on a local TV station on Monday, June 1, 2026, Oluga said the target is realistic and will be implemented across all health facilities through a nationwide cascade approach. He said the Ministry of Health is working alongside ongoing national reforms aimed at improving maternal and newborn care services.

The PS noted that the measures are being implemented under broader health sector reforms focused on accountability, staffing, and clinical supervision at the facility level.

Facility reforms and accountability measures

His remarks come as Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale intensifies national efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths through stronger accountability, better resourcing and system-wide reforms.

Oluga said one of the key interventions requires all doctors to sign patient files and clinical notes. At high-volume facilities such as Pumwani Maternity Hospital, which handles up to 80 deliveries daily, medical officers are required to write detailed notes while consultants review and sign them.

“It brings ownership,” Oluga said. “There is no single specialist who wants to sign notes where a mother has passed on.”

He explained that the policy has led to improved supervision, as consultants now actively train medical officers to ensure proper procedures are followed and accurately documented.

According to Oluga, the approach has improved clinical standards by linking documentation with responsibility for patient care outcomes.

He said the system has created a chain reaction in which improved supervision has strengthened teamwork and reduced procedural gaps within facilities.

Olunga cited Garissa County Hospital as an example of the impact of these reforms. He said that after reporting 18 maternal deaths within three months last year, a technical intervention was carried out involving reorganisation of work processes, staff placement and service delivery systems.

Following the changes, the facility recorded a reduction in maternal deaths to three within the following year.

National health reforms and leadership initiatives

Oluga said the improvements at the facility level are being supported by broader national health reforms led by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale.

He noted that in November 2025, during the SafeCare Level 5 accreditation of AAR Hospital, Duale emphasised the importance of compliance with patient safety standards across all health facilities. These include availability of skilled personnel, reliable equipment, blood supplies and infection control systems.

Oluga said such standards are key to strengthening maternal and newborn care services and improving health outcomes across the country.

He also referenced the launch of President William Ruto’s Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere (EWENE) Acceleration Plan 2026–2028, which includes a six-month Maternal and Newborn Health Rapid Results Initiative.

The plan includes Ksh13.1 billion for the Primary Healthcare Fund, Ksh4 billion for insurance coverage for pregnant women under the Social Health Authority, Ksh1 billion for KEMSA to procure essential commodities and Ksh2.5 billion for family planning services.

It also provides for the recruitment and deployment of 5,000 nurses and midwives, the strengthening of ambulance services, the improvement of safe blood systems, and engagement with county governments on performance targets.

Oluga said the government is also relying on more than 107,000 community health promoters to support service delivery at the grassroots level.

He said the combination of facility-level reforms and national-level investments is expected to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes across the country.

“We are sure these results are achievable,” he said, “and that is what we want to cascade to every facility.”