Hundreds of pregnant women in rural Kenya are now at risk after the Ministry of Health stopped funding maternity services at level two health facilities, commonly known as dispensaries and small clinics.
According to the Council of Governors (CoG), the move has already caused a sharp drop in the number of women giving birth in health facilities, especially in remote areas where level two centres are often the only nearby option.
Data from the CoG shows that since the start of the year, 924 mothers and more than 10,000 newborns have died across various hospitals in the country. Health officials say the numbers are alarming and could worsen if mothers are forced to deliver at home.
Governors are questioning the Ministry of Health’s decision to stop reimbursing these facilities for maternity services. The Ministry has argued that most level two facilities do not have enough beds or capacity to admit patients.
County leaders say the Ministry’s decision ignores the realities faced by women in rural and hardship areas.
“You can fake any other disease, but you cannot fake pregnancy. Mothers need accessible facilities,” said Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki.
Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif added that in remote areas, dispensaries play an essential role.
“A dispensary in Mandera is like Aga Khan or Nairobi Hospital to our people. Denying deliveries in these centres is taking us backwards,” he said.
Governors also complained about delays in payments through the Social Health Authority (SHA). They say county hospitals are struggling to run maternity units with very little funding.
“If a county referral hospital receives only Ksh.1.2 million in disbursement, it becomes difficult to manage basic services,” Governor Khalif noted.
Kenya loses about 5,680 mothers and 33,600 newborns every year. Health experts say these numbers remain too high, even though the country has made progress in maternal health over the past decade. Many deaths occur because mothers cannot reach skilled health workers in time.
The Ministry of Health has denied ordering an official stop to reimbursements for maternity deliveries. However, it acknowledged that level two facilities are not legally licensed to offer inpatient services under Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) regulations.
The Ministry says it is now working with SHA and KMPDC to find ways to allow deliveries in facilities where they are most needed, especially in counties with very few hospitals.
Governors made the remarks during the launch of the inter-county Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) initiative. The program aims to help counties work together to track and respond to maternal and newborn deaths more effectively.
