Kitui County Government has inaugurated two new fully equipped maternal and newborn healthcare units, in efforts aimed at realizing quality child-bearing and neonatal health care services to local women.
The two modern health facilities, which have been installed at the Kitui County Referral Hospital and at Nuu Sub-County hospital, are expected to significantly reduce maternal and infants’ deaths among child-bearing mothers.
The new health facility renamed ‘Little Angles Newborn Unit’ has 70 bed capacity. The initiative, is a joint effort between the County Government of Kitui and the Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB), an organisation dedicated to enhancing healthcare to needy communities.
Speaking during a colorful ceremony to commission the health facilities, Kitui County Governor, Dr Julius Malombe, emphasized the commitment of his government’s to strengthen maternal and newborn healthcare services across the county.
“A newborn unit is not just a place where tiny babies fight for survival but a sanctuary where miracles unfold daily. Likewise, a maternity unit is where new life begins and families find hope,” he said.
While commenting on the importance of the two new equipped maternal and newborn facilities, the county boss pointed out that in the year 2024, Kitui County had a total of 22,733 live births, out of which 1,559 were low birth weight babies (a weight below 2500gms) and 756 pre-term babies.
“A total of 2,315 (low birth weight and pre-term babies) were managed in newborn units with 1,128 newborns graduating to Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) situation where new born is placed at the chest of the mother for warmth (just like the Kangaroo animal of the wild), rather than getting warmth by being placed at the incubator, while 1,187 were managed using the conventional newborn care methods,” the governor added.
Dr Malombe lamented over then high maternal and newborn death rates as well numerous challenges in transforming Maternal and Newborn Care in Kitui county before devolution, similarly in the other 46 counties across the country.
“Kitui County faced significant challenges in maternal and newborn health, with a maternal mortality rate of 400 deaths per 100,000 live births and a neonatal mortality rate of 28 per 1,000. Limited access to skilled birth attendants, inadequate healthcare infrastructure and logistical barriers to emergency care contributed to these high mortality rates,” said the governor.
He observed that the figures were significantly higher than the national average of 362 per 100,000 and 22 per 1,000 live births respectively, then reflecting the challenges faced by the county’s healthcare system.
However, the governor appreciated that over the years, the county has made remarkable strides in addressing these challenges. Investments in infrastructure, equipment, and human resources have significantly improved maternal and newborn health outcomes.
According to the governor Dr Malombe, among key healthcare achievements include the construction and equipping of hospitals, health centers and dispensaries, as well as the recruitment and training of 2,470 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) to enhance community-based healthcare services.
He noted that the key achievement in healthcare was made possible through the county government’s partnership with CMMB.
“Kitui has seen notable improvements, including the establishment of maternity units in Kisayani, Kalambani, Kamutei, and Kanziku health centers, and a newborn unit at Ikanga Hospital,” the governor noted.
The CMMB organization has also facilitated healthcare worker training on Early Essential Newborn Care (EENC), Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), and Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC), alongside donating bicycles to CHPs for enhanced mobility in rural areas.
The Governor reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and eliminating preventable maternal and newborn deaths.
“Every baby saved is a future full of possibilities, and saving mothers is not just an act of compassion—it’s an investment in our shared future,” he said.
The initiative aligns with global and national efforts to improve maternal and newborn health, as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 287,000 women worldwide died from pregnancy-related complications in 2020, while 2.4 million newborns did not survive their first month of life.
In Kenya, the Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) 2022 reports a maternal mortality ratio of 355 per 100,000 live births and a neonatal mortality rate of 21 per 1,000 live births.
By Denson Mututo and Purity Mwendwa
