Kenya Records Drop in Skilled Birth Attendance as Maternal Health Gaps Persist
The number of women using family planning services also declined over the same period, highlighting challenges in access to reproductive health services.
Nairobi, Kenya — Maternal health gaps in Kenya are becoming increasingly concerning, with a recent decline in skilled birth attendance and family planning use, according to data presented at a media roundtable. Between January and March 2026, the number of deliveries attended by skilled birth attendants dropped from 69.77 percent to 65.47 percent, while the use of family planning services among women of reproductive age declined from 1,519,066 to 1,385,575 during the same period.
Polycarp Oyoo, Programs Advisor for Maternal and Newborn Health at the International Centre for Reproductive Health Kenya, warned that these figures indicate underlying issues in access to maternal and newborn healthcare. "Every day we lose about 15 mothers," he said, highlighting the need for a closer examination of why women are not consistently accessing antenatal and delivery services.
Delays in seeking care and reaching health facilities were identified as major contributors to maternal and newborn deaths, accounting for 30 percent and 25 percent of such deaths respectively, while 45 percent occur due to inadequate timely care after patients reach the facilities. Only 37 percent of facilities providing delivery services meet basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care standards, and critical medicines such as magnesium sulphate, benzyl penicillin, and oxytocin are reportedly in short supply.
The decline in family planning use among younger women, particularly adolescents, was also a concern, prompting questions about the accessibility and availability of contraceptives, information, and services for this demographic. The Ministry of Health's EWENE Acceleration Plan 2026-2028 aims to reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths and improve outcomes, but journalists are urged to scrutinize the implementation of these interventions, including budgets, staffing, availability of essential medicines, and the quality of care.
The media is called upon to not only report statistics but also to investigate the experiences of affected families and hold institutions accountable at all levels.
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
