Improving maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH) is a global health and human rights priority. An estimated 7,700 women die each year in Kenya because of pregnancy-related causes, and many newborns die in their first month of life. To reduce child mortality and improve maternal health and achieve the Millennium Development Goals Kenya faces numerous challenges:

• Limited availability, poor accessibility and low utilization of skilled birth attendance during pregnancy, child birth and the postnatal period
• Low basic emergency obstetric and newborn care coverage
• Poor involvement of communities in maternal and newborn care
• Limited national commitment of resources for maternal and newborn health

Infertility is also an important public health concern in Kenya, affecting as many as one in five women.

Kenya’s MNCH Programme

Kenya’s MNCH programme consists of six pillars 

• Preconceptual care and family planning
• Focused antenatal care
• Essential obstetric care
• Essential newborn care
• Targeted postpartum care
• Postabortion care

Skilled attendance and a supportive and functional health system are the foundation of these services. The Kenya MNCH programme recognizes the potential role that communities play in promoting their own health and the importance of strengthening the interface between the community and health services, as well as promoting the human rights approach to health service delivery.

In support of the MNCH programme, DRH works with numerous partners throughout Kenya to reduce the high rates of maternal, neonatal and child morbidity and mortality and to help achieve the child and maternal health, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Kenya’s Vision 2030. Specifically, DRH’s work includes the following:

• Supporting an enabling environment for the implementation of key activities
• Helping to ensure that health facilities have sufficient staff, equipment and supplies to provide high-quality services
• Establishing mechanisms for supervision and ensuring regular monitoring and evaluation of progress
• Providing technical support for planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation
• Advocating for an increased national commitment to the reduction of maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality

MNCH Strategies And Policies

In collaboration with its partners, DRH was at the forefront of developing the first ever road map for accelerating maternal and newborn health in Kenya. DRH’s plans to reduce maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality include the following:

• Increasing the availability, accessibility, acceptability and use of skilled attendance during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period at all levels of the health care delivery system
• Strengthening the capacity of individuals, families, communities and social networks to improve maternal and newborn health
• Strengthening the management of data and increasing its use to improve MNCH programmes

Reducing infertility in Kenya is a priority for the national programme, which is working to increase access to proper investigation and management of infertile individuals and couples. DRH supports these efforts by improving access to high-quality infertility services at all levels; promoting community awareness on infertility, especially among males; and encouraging research on all aspects of infertility. Read the Infertility in Kenya survey report and desk review.

To read more about key MNCH strategies, guidelines and tools, click here