Kenya’s maternal, newborn, and child health sector is facing significant challenges, with high mortality rates and inadequate access to healthcare services. Despite some progress in vaccination and antenatal care, the country’s maternal mortality rate has only decreased by less than two percent between 2014 and 2019. According to United Nations data, Kenya’s maternal mortality ratio remains one of the highest in East Africa, surpassing those of Ethiopia, Uganda, and Tanzania.
The slow progress in maternal, newborn, and child health is attributed to fragmented policies, inconsistent county financing, and short-term funding. Devolution has led to blurred responsibilities between national and county governments, resulting in gaps in planning, poor reporting, and weak accountability. Newborn and child deaths have also declined slightly, but are severely constrained by inequities, with children born to mothers with only primary education facing higher mortality rates than those with secondary education and beyond.
To address these challenges, the proposed Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Bill, 2023, aims to establish a clear legal framework guaranteeing the right to maternal, newborn, and child health services. The bill obliges both national and county governments to respect, protect, and fulfill these rights through enforceable mechanisms. It ensures access to the full continuum of care, including before pregnancy and through childhood, and protects marginalized and hard-to-reach communities.
The MNCH Bill also guarantees respectful, dignified, and non-discriminatory care, irrespective of identity, and strengthens health financing at the county level through mandated budget allocation for MNCH. It improves service availability through infrastructure and supplies, such as ambulances, essential medicine, and skilled health workers. The bill also institutionalizes accountability and reporting, with both the Cabinet Secretary and County Executives mandated to submit annual reports to Parliament and County Assemblies on services, financing, and gaps.
The passage of the MNCH Bill is crucial in delivering on the promise of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Kenya. With government officials, communities, civil society, and health workers rallying together, the country is poised to turn commitments into action. As the bill reaches its final committee stages, citizens are encouraged to contact their Members of Parliament to express support. The implementation of the MNCH Bill will be a significant step towards reducing maternal, newborn, and child mortality and ensuring that “health for all” is no longer just a slogan, but a binding national pledge.
