Hundreds of expectant mothers in rural Kenya are at risk following the Ministry of Health’s decision to stop funding deliveries at level two facilities and clinics. The Council of Governors (CoG) warns that this move has already caused a significant drop in hospital deliveries across the country.
Since the start of the year, at least 924 mothers and 10,000 newborns have died in various hospitals, highlighting the urgency of addressing maternal health services. Governors argue that for many women, especially those in remote areas, dispensaries and lower-level health facilities remain the only accessible points of care.
Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki emphasized the importance of dispensaries, saying, “You can fake any other disease, but I don’t see anyone faking pregnancy because there is a visible baby and a happy mother.” Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif echoed the concern, noting that dispensaries in border areas serve as critical health access points. “Denying deliveries at dispensaries and health centres is not progress; it is retrogression,” he stated.
The CoG has urged the Ministry of Health to ensure timely and full disbursement of claims under the SupaCover Health Assurance (SHA) program and to avoid politicizing the process. County leaders point out that investments in equipping hospitals will only yield results if funds are properly reimbursed, citing that some county referral hospitals received only Ksh. 1.2 million in disbursements.
The Ministry of Health, however, maintains that there is no directive to stop maternity reimbursements. It clarified that level two facilities are not licensed to offer inpatient services under KMPDC and KEPH standards, and facilities must upgrade infrastructure to meet these requirements.
To address these challenges, the ministry is working with SHA and KMPDC to define guidelines for allowing deliveries in facilities where maternal needs are high, particularly in areas with low facility density.
The launch of the inter-county Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) initiative aims to strengthen monitoring and collaborative responses to maternal and neonatal deaths, ensuring no mother or newborn is left behind.
