Tana River County Governor Major (Rtd) Dhadho Godhana has reaffirmed his Administration’s commitment to improving maternal and newborn healthcare.
He also highlighted plans to construct a Level 5 hospital that will have a strong focus on maternal and newborn health, alongside continued investments in healthcare systems.
Godhana made the remarks during the Intercounty Maternal Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response Initiative forum, a two-day engagement in Hola town, organised by the Council of Governors (CoG).
A 2025 Health Report indicates that Tana River County is among regions with high maternal mortality rates, with approximately 265 deaths per 100,000 live births driven by severe postpartum haemorrhage, sepsis, hypertension and significant health infrastructure gaps.
The forum under the CoG’s Health Committee has brought together key stakeholders to deliberate on improving access to maternal healthcare, reduce preventable deaths, and strengthen County health systems.
The Governor acknowledged that Tana River continues to face significant maternal and newborn health challenges requiring urgent and deliberate interventions.
Godhana confirmed that the County government, through its Supplementary Budget had prioritised phased recruitment to address critical human resource gaps in health facilities, particularly in specialist cadres.
“We are implementing County Policies to improve skilled birth attendance and access to quality healthcare to reduce the burden of maternal and newborn deaths,” he said.
He further underscored the county’s commitment to strengthening referral systems, improving facility readiness and enhancing accountability in service delivery.
“The devolved government remains committed to ensuring that every mother and every child in Tana River has access to safe, quality healthcare and a healthy start to life,” he said, adding that the county is committed to primary healthcare revitalisation.
Godhana said his administration would focus on strengthening healthcare delivery at the community levels, increasing investment in health infrastructure and hiring of healthcare workers, especially in underserved communities.
He said he is committed to ending preventable maternal and neonatal deaths, noting that no woman should die while giving birth.
“Since 2022 we have made significant progress recruiting over 300 healthcare workers and revamping several health facilities as part of efforts to sustain improvements in public health outcomes,” he said.
Khatra Ali, the Director of Health at the Council of Governors, noted that 15 mothers have died since March 2026 and that 92 newborns die annually in Tana River County.
Khatra said the CoG’s health committee is committed to supporting and strengthening marginalized counties that are grappling with struggling healthcare systems.
The official said the CoG health committee is contributing to sustainable solutions by addressing high maternal and child mortality rates in the counties.
She further said that quality healthcare is not a privilege for a few people but a fundamental constitutional right for all Kenyans, including communities in rural and hard-to-reach areas, who are most impacted by the lack of adequate healthcare facilities.
“These deaths are preventable, and there is an urgent need to build resilient and responsive healthcare systems,” she said, urging the devolved governments to tackle persistent health challenges.
Khatra says the engagement seeks to strengthen health systems that help save the lives of mothers and babies, including improving the reporting and response to maternal and newborn cases.
The Director said the Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) County Technical Support team has commenced its visit in Tana River County with a high-level engagement that brings together county leadership and health sector management to strengthen accountability and accelerate interventions aimed at reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths.
The two-day discussions underscore the need for collective action in ensuring that every mother and newborn has access to quality, timely, and life-saving healthcare.
Khatra said the MPDSR process will support the county in institutionalising routine review of maternal and perinatal deaths, generating evidence-based actions, and ensuring that lessons from every case directly inform improvements in care delivery.
“This approach is critical in reducing preventable deaths, improving response time, and building confidence in county health services,” she said.
Khatra decried the rising rates of maternal and infant mortality rates in some counties, terming the trend ‘unfortunate and unacceptable’.
By Hussein Abdullahi
