Tana River Steps Up Fight Against Rising Maternal and Newborn Deaths

Tana River County has intensified efforts to address rising maternal and newborn deaths, with the county government pledging major reforms aimed at improving healthcare services and saving the lives of mothers and infants.

The county is among 26 regions in Kenya facing a high maternal mortality burden, with health officials warning that preventable deaths linked to childbirth complications remain a serious concern.

According to a 2025 health report, Tana River records about 265 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, with severe bleeding after childbirth, infections, hypertension and inadequate health infrastructure cited among the leading causes.

Speaking while hosting a team of 15 doctors and specialists deployed by the Council of Governors under the Inter-County Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response programme, Dhadho Godhana said his administration was determined to reverse the trend.

“No woman should die while giving birth,” the governor said. “We are committed to strengthening healthcare services and ensuring mothers and children receive safe and quality care.”

Godhana said the county had prioritised the recruitment of specialised medical personnel including obstetricians, paediatricians and neonatal nurses through a supplementary budget to bridge staffing shortages in health facilities.

He added that the county government was also investing in improving health infrastructure, increasing the supply of essential drugs and medical equipment and strengthening referral systems to reduce the number of patients being sent to hospitals in neighbouring Kilifi County and Garissa County.

The visiting medical experts toured Hola, Ngao and Bura referral hospitals to assess healthcare challenges and support frontline health workers through mentorship and clinical assistance.

Among the key recommendations made during the assessment were operationalising theatres, restoring dialysis services, increasing staffing levels and improving emergency referral systems.

Director of Health at the Council of Governors, Khatra Ali, said the situation in Tana River remained alarming, revealing that out of the 15 women who die daily in Kenya from childbirth and pregnancy-related complications, three are from the county.

She said counties with high maternal mortality rates must urgently increase investment in healthcare services, especially in hiring skilled midwives and improving maternity care.

“No health system can deliver quality maternal and child healthcare without enough skilled midwives,” she said.

Khatra noted that residents of Bura Sub-county were now able to access critical surgical services locally following interventions by the visiting medical team, reducing pressure on referral hospitals outside the county.

She described the ongoing mentorship and peer-learning sessions as an important step towards strengthening maternal and newborn care and ensuring lessons from every death are used to improve future healthcare response.

Visiting gynaecologist Mary Maina said reducing maternal and infant deaths should remain a top priority for county governments across the country.

“No woman should lose her life while giving life,” she said.

Health officials said the reforms are part of broader efforts to help Kenya meet the Sustainable Development Goal target of reducing maternal mortality to below 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.