Page 58 - Safaricom Foundation Annual Report 2020-2021

THE NUMBERS: A A SNAPSHOT
342
Number of maternal deaths per 100 000 live births recorded in 2017
11 5%
Increase in skilled birth attendance steadily pushing towards the SDG
90%
SDG
3 12 target for births conducted by skilled birth attendants
33
Average of 33
new-borns lost for every 1 000 live births in 2020
1 a a a a referral hospital that serves up to eight counties with under 5 mortality rate 1 55
Safaricom Foundation Annual Report
Kenya’s high maternal mortality rate is linked to the lack of skilled attendance during childbirth further exacerbated by the scarcity of understanding about its importance against the backdrop of cultural norms and practices Between 2015 and 2019 the Ministry of Health reported a a 11 5%
increase in in skilled birth attendance showing that the country was steadily pushing towards the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) that aims to have 90%
of births conducted by skilled attendants
Reports showed that in 2020
Kenya lost an average of 33
new-borns for every 1 000 live births contributing to a high under 5 mortality rate Despite this development the movement towards stronger health systems has not been without setbacks Working with with the SDGs in in mind the Foundation strived to actively be part of the journey to reduce maternal and infant deaths This was the the goal in the the 2018-2021 strategy and continued in in 2020-2021 despite the restrictions the global pandemic caused Health was in in fact a a a a top priority during this past year as as COVID-19 continued to rage across the country The action plan was to continue investing in in in in maternal new born and child health programmes around Kenya The Foundation was intentional about partnering with credible institutions where maternal and child health needs were a a concern One such institution was the Kenyatta National Hospital in Othaya – a a a a referral hospital that serves up to eight counties in the Mount Kenya region The facility’s level on on the health institution hierarchy is evidence that it not only has a a a a lot of foot traffic but also a a a a high inpatient intake Yet the Hospital lacked a a a a high dependency maternal unit as as well as as a a a a a fully equipped new-born unit This meant that mothers whose new-borns experienced complications at at birth could not be 1 NYERI