The County Government of Nakuru is strengthening strategic partnerships to accelerate progress towards Universal Health Coverage, with maternal and newborn health remaining a priority in its ongoing health-sector reforms.
The devolved unit’s administration has pledged to enhance investments in the sexual and reproductive health rights of women and young girls with a view to achieving gender equality and addressing the population dynamics in the region.
Governor Susan Kihika indicated that increased investments in the sexual reproductive health rights of women and girls were aimed at accelerating the achievement of sustainable development goal 5 on gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls.
Kihika noted that her administration has strengthened its collaboration with key health sector stakeholders to continuously expand access to quality reproductive health services across the 11 sub-counties.
“We have a sustained initiative with Amref Health Africa, Safaricom and the M-PESA Foundation that focuses on expanding maternity infrastructure, equipping primary health centres, streamlining emergency referral networks, and upskilling healthcare personnel across all 11 sub-counties,” she pointed out.
Speaking during a high-level review meeting with key sector partners, Kihika, flanked by the County Health Management team, commended the devolved unit’s partners, including the national government, donors, development agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), for their transformative investments in upscaling reproductive healthcare in Nakuru.
“I am grateful for the maternity wings our key partners have initiated in health facilities across the county, including Molo, Kiptororo, Mbogoini and Kimugul, alongside renovating existing facilities in Mariashoni and Mutarakwa and equipping facilities at the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Mother and Baby unit,” stated Kihika.
The governor said there were three critical things that her government was doing in order to improve the sexual and reproductive health rights of women.
She said her administration was first ensuring there is age-appropriate comprehensive sexual education to mitigate early teenage pregnancies and female genital mutilation.
She added that there is also a need to ensure there is access to integrated and comprehensive family planning services, adding, “These include youth-friendly services.”
Kihika said her administration was further ensuring that family planning commodities were available within all county government-owned health facilities.
“When I speak about family planning commodities, this is something that I am very passionate about. Because when we say choice, choice should be choice,” she said.
Kihika emphasised that collaboration with partners will provide better maternal services for mothers and newborns, enhance service delivery, strengthen staff skills and integrate referral systems for reproductive health cases.
The Governor noted that Kenya and other countries within the region have ratified several Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) commitments since the recognition of SRHR as a human right at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and as an explicit target of SDGs.
Some global and regional SRHR commitments include, but are not limited to, the Generation Equality Forum (GEF), ICPD25, the African Union Agenda 2063, the Maputo Plan of Action, the Campaign on Accelerated Reduction on Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA), and the Eastern and Southern Africa Ministerial Commitment on sexuality education and sexual and reproductive health services for adolescents and young people, among others.
“Sexual and reproductive health and rights are crucial entitlements relating to women and girls’ sexual and reproductive health. These rights address the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, gender-based violence, maternal mortality and the provision of essential health services,” observed the governor.
Amref Health Africa Maternal and Newborn Care Programme representative John Kitna said joint efforts between civil society, corporate sponsors and devolved units remain vital in addressing persistent barriers to quality reproductive healthcare.
He noted that improving maternal and newborn health requires more than the construction of health facilities, and it calls for skilled healthcare workers, essential equipment, strong referral systems and community engagement to ensure that women receive appropriate care throughout pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period.
Strengthening the continuum of care from antenatal services to delivery and postnatal follow-up will help health facilities respond more effectively to the needs of mothers and newborns, Kitna observed.
Safaricom and M-PESA Foundation Lead Health Dorothy Koech stated that continued investment in maternity infrastructure and medical equipment remains a priority in making healthcare accessible and improving the patient experience.
She noted that working with county governments and health-sector partners supports practical interventions that respond directly to community needs.
She added that continuously improving maternity facilities, providing essential equipment and strengthening service delivery create safer environments for mothers and newborns.
Koech also emphasised that sustained collaboration between public health institutions and development partners is necessary to ensure long-term investments translate into improved access to quality services.
The newly appointed Nakuru County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health Services Stephen Kuria said Nakuru County is ensuring that physical infrastructure improvements are matched with stronger health systems and adequately supported medical teams.
KURIA noted that Governor Kihika’s administration will maintain close coordination with the involved organisations to continuously identify service gaps, strengthen facility capacity, and streamline the management of reproductive health referrals to higher-level facilities.
The ongoing engagement aligns with national efforts in Kenya to reduce preventable maternal and newborn mortality and broaden access to reproductive healthcare.
Amref Health Africa continues to work with national and county governments to strengthen primary healthcare systems, build healthcare worker capacity, and support community-based health interventions.
Its maternal and newborn health programmes focus on skilled birth attendance, emergency obstetric and newborn care, and referral networks.
The organisation also supports family planning and sexual and reproductive health services through health-worker training, community engagement, and improvements in service accessibility.
Safaricom previously partnered with Amref Health Africa on the Uzazi Salama programme, which focused on improving maternal and newborn outcomes through facility upgrades, health worker training, and community referral systems.
The M-PESA Foundation and the United Nations Population Fund have also previously announced a collaboration aimed at improving reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health services in Kenya, prioritising emergency obstetric care, digital health innovations, and fistula prevention.
Maternal and newborn health remains a core pillar of Kenya’s universal health coverage agenda, with the Ministry of Health and its stakeholders investing in primary healthcare, health-worker capacity, and equitable service access.
Nakuru County continues to build on its ongoing health infrastructure investments to bring quality care closer to residents across all 11 sub-counties.
The interactive review provided an opportunity for the county administration and its donor entities to evaluate progress, address emerging needs, and plan future phases of investment in reproductive healthcare.
By Jane Ngugi and Caroline Nyakio
