Kajiado: More Kenyan women and newborns are dying not because they can't reach a health facility, but because of the quality of care they receive once they get there.
According to African Press Organization, this is the finding underlying the government's 2024 Quality of Care and Human Resources for Health Assessment. The report highlights a crucial shift in focus from increasing access to improving the quality of care provided in healthcare facilities across the country.
"More people now die due to poor care than due to lack of access to care," said Michael Moneypenny, Regional Director for Aga Khan's Centre for Innovation in Medical Education. To address this issue, Kenya is adjusting its response strategy from merely staffing more facilities to ensuring that health workers possess the skills needed to provide quality care and manage emergencies effectively.
On August 20, 2026, over 50 participants from county and national government bodies, health development organizations, and implementing partners convened in Kajiado County to witness a pioneering response-a simulation-based training center for maternal and newborn care. This initiative marked the first-ever joint field visit organized by the WHO-convened Development Partners in Health Kenya group.
The delegation visited Kajiado County Referral Hospital, where the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Kajiado County Government have established one of four simulation-based training centers operating in the county. These centers, located alongside Loitoktok Sub-County Hospital, Ewuaso Kedong Health Centre, and Oltepesi Health Centre, aim to train healthcare workers in managing maternal and newborn procedures through simulated scenarios.
During the simulation-based training, trainees are presented with various scenarios to practice emergency responses. This hands-on approach equips healthcare workers with practical skills, ultimately improving health outcomes for mothers and children. Jooyoung Baek, Deputy Country Director for KOICA's Kenya Office, emphasized the importance of providing a safe space for health workers to practice and make mistakes without risking patient safety, thereby directly addressing the quality-of-care gap identified in the 2024 survey.
The Ministry of Health highlighted the benefit of integrating training centers within existing health facilities rather than establishing standalone units. "When training is embedded in the facility itself, it stays with the county long after any partner has moved onto the next project," said Hon. Alex L. Kilowua, Kajiado County Executive Committee Member for Health. This approach ensures the centers remain under county ownership and are integrated into the facilities' regular operations.
KOICA developed the project in partnership with Good Neighbors, Aga Khan University Centre for Innovation in Medical Education, and the Kajiado County Government, all of which participated in the visit to share their experiences. Michael Moneypenny elaborated on Aga Khan's role, including advising on cost-effective equipment purchases, designing training spaces, and training educators and technicians.
The Development Partners in Health Kenya serves as a coordination platform that unites partners to strengthen collaboration, promote coordination, and align support with Kenya's national health priorities. "We know that there are many partners in Kenya's health sector. We have been engaging with these partners, and today we had the opportunity not just to tell them about our interventions, but to show them what we are doing," said Jooyoung Baek.
Among the visitors were officials from the Ministry of Health working on the Every Woman, Every Newborn, Everywhere (EWENE) initiative, a two-year national plan launched by President William Ruto in May 2026 aimed at ending preventable maternal and newborn deaths. Dr. Julliet Omwoha, Head of Newborn and Child Health at the Ministry of Health, underscored the importance of capacity building in reducing deaths, pointing to the 2024 survey's findings.
Currently, approximately 16 mothers and 90 newborns die every day in Kenya. "With use of practices like this initiative, we believe that healthcare workers will be better equipped in their skills to ensure we save our mothers and newborns," Omwoha stated, emphasizing the need for a well-trained and motivated health workforce.
This visit comes at an important time as the Government of Kenya has just received $80 million from the Beginnings Fund, aiming to reach six million women and newborns and avert 50,000 deaths by 2030 across 21 priority counties. Representatives from the Beginnings Fund were also present in Kajiado.
As Kenya works to close the quality-of-care gap behind preventable deaths of mothers and newborns, coordination among health partners will be critical to reaching its targets. "We hope this visit will be the first of many," said Dr. Neema Kimambo, WHO Representative to Kenya. WHO remains committed to strengthening partnerships across Kenya's health sector, maximizing resource efficiency, and ensuring the country stays on the best path towards achieving health for all.