Kenya to build 10 specialized maternal and newborn health facilities

The Kenyan government is establishing 10 specialized maternal and newborn health facilities across counties with the highest burden of preventable deaths. These 250-bed facilities will be located in Nairobi, Bomet, Kwale, Mombasa, Garissa, Kisumu, Embu, Nakuru, West Pokot, and Uasin Gishu.

The project is supported by a 4.4 billion Shilling grant from the Amsons Group through the ‘Mama na Mtoto Kwanza’ (Mother and Child First) initiative. This investment complements the ‘Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere’ programme and aims to provide a comprehensive continuum of care, including antenatal and postnatal services, obstetric care, Caesarean sections, and neonatal intensive care units.

To support the infrastructure, the government is strengthening workforce capacity. So far, 900 healthcare workers have been trained in obstetric care and another 900 in newborn care, with plans for the national recruitment of 5,000 nurses and midwives. Additionally, 4 billion Shillings are being routed through the Social Health Authority (SHA) to support deliveries at Level 2 and 3 facilities.