Garissa is among 10 counties set to benefit from the construction of specialised maternal and newborn health facilities as the government intensifies efforts to reduce preventable deaths during pregnancy and childbirth.
The 250-bed facility planned for Garissa is part of a national programme targeting counties with a high burden of maternal and newborn deaths and will bring specialised maternity services closer to women and newborns in the region.
The government plans to establish the facilities in Nairobi, Bomet, Kwale, Mombasa, Garissa, Kisumu, Embu, Nakuru, West Pokot and Uasin Gishu.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale held talks with governors and their representatives on the implementation of President William Ruto’s directive to prioritise maternal and newborn health.
The discussions were led by Council of Governors Health Committee Chairperson and Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Nassir.
The Garissa facility will form part of efforts to address gaps in specialised maternal and neonatal care, particularly in areas where access to advanced services remains a challenge.
The project is being supported by a Sh4.4 billion grant from Amsons Group through the Mama na Mtoto Kwanza initiative, in partnership with the government. It will complement the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere (EWENE) programme.
Each of the planned facilities will provide comprehensive maternal and newborn services, including antenatal and postnatal care, labour and recovery services, obstetric care and Caesarean sections.
They will also be equipped with theatres, maternal intensive care units, neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and post-Caesarean wards, creating a continuum of care from pregnancy through delivery and recovery.
CS Aden Duale said the investments will be directed to areas identified as having the greatest need after mapping 26 counties that collectively account for about 60 per cent of maternal deaths in Kenya.
The investment will strengthen the county’s capacity to provide specialised maternity and neonatal services and reduce the need for women with complicated pregnancies to travel outside the county for advanced care.
The infrastructure programme will be accompanied by efforts to strengthen the health workforce. Under EWENE, 900 healthcare workers have already been trained in obstetric care, while another 900 have received training in comprehensive newborn care.
The ongoing recruitment of 5,000 nurses and midwives is also expected to increase the number of skilled health workers available to provide maternal and newborn services.
The government is additionally supporting maternity care through the Social Health Authority, with Sh4 billion being channelled to support maternal deliveries at Level 2 and Level 3 health facilities.
Groundbreaking for the new facilities is expected by September, with national and county governments working to fast-track implementation.
The meeting brought together Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o, Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire, Bomet Deputy Governor Shadrack Rotich and West Pokot Deputy Governor Achaule Robert, alongside county officials and Ministry of Health representatives.
The government said closer coordination between the national and county governments will be critical to ensuring the planned investments translate into measurable reductions in maternal and newborn deaths.
The planned facility represents a vital investment in specialised maternal and neonatal care. It will strengthen access to life-saving services for women and newborns across the county and the wider northeastern region.
