Launched: A project to reduce maternal and child mortality by 2020 in Kenya.

Health
Friday, December 2, 2016

Kenya has long suffered from high maternal, newborn and child morbidity and mortality rates. The most recent estimates set the maternal mortality rate at 360 per 100,000 live births, children under-five stunting at 26%, which has a long term effect not only on their physical growth, but cognitive growth as well way into  adulthood that can impact future productivity. (Kenya Demographic and Health Survey: 2014). Though, this shows a considerable improvement from the previous KDHS 2008 data.

However, there are still existing gaps in maternal and child health indicators across counties in Kenya, including disparities between rural and urban populations and across education and income levels. The programs being launched will attempt to address some of these gaps.

Partnership for Strengthening Maternal, Newborn, Child Health and Nutrition in Kenya (PSMNCHNK) is an initiative by a group of seven organizations to address the challenges faced in Maternal, Newborn, Child and Nutrition (MCNHN) in Kenya.

Action Against Hunger (ACF), Aga Khan Foundation, Amref Health Africa in Kenya, Hellen Keller International, Map International, Micronutrient Initiative and World Vision Kenya to share and implement different MNCHN projects.

The funding received is part of Canada’s total global commitment of $3.5 billion to reduce maternal and child mortality by 2020. The five PSMNCH projects to be implemented in Kenya represent over $26 Million of these funds over the next four years (2016 – 2020).

The projects will be implemented in Kilifi, Kwale, Siaya, West Pokot, TransNzoia, Kakamega, Busia, Bungoma, Kisii and Elgeyo Marakwet counties. The counties were selected based on needs and available funds.

The initiative will be under a common theme; Holistic approach for improving health and nutrition in women, children and adolescent girls in Kenya. This initiative will contribute to progress on the issue of (MNCHN) and are in line with one or more of the following four paths

1. Strengthening health systems

2. Reducing the burden of disease for the vulnerable especially women and girls

3. Improving nutrition specifically for women and adolescent girls

4. Ensuring accountability for results for both women and men

 The aim of the launch was to raise public awareness, share information and educate the public on MNCH issues. The initiative will develop and share knowledge products that will be geared towards contributing to the knowledge pool on MNCHN internationally; change and enrich policy at Country level. The knowledge products will be shared to shape and define MNCHN programming globally.

World Vision Kenya will implement theEnhancing Nutrition Services to Improve Maternal and Child Health (ENRICH) project in Elgeyo Marakwet County, in partnership with Micronutrient Initiative (MI), Harvest Plus (H+), Egerton University and Toronto University. ENRICH is a four and half years project with the aim of contributing to reduction of maternal and child mortality, by addressing issues critical to the health of mothers, newborns and children under five years.

The program seeks to achieve this goal through strengthening of health systems, gender equality, environment and governance and will be working through Department of Health at County level with an emphasis on community systems, improving nutrition of pregnant women (PW), infants and young children during the first 1,000 days and ensuring accountability of results at all levels.

ENRICH takes a comprehensive approach to improve delivery of essential nutrition services: increasing production and consumption of nutritious foods and micronutrient supplements and strengthening governance, policy and public engagement of Maternal, Newborn, Child Health (MNCH) in Canada and target countries. All program activities will take into consideration gender equality, good governance principles and environmental sustainability.