Improving Quality of Care: The Key to Ending Preventable Maternal and Neonatal Mortality in Kenya

Abstract

The Government of Kenya has made great investments aimed at reducing maternal and neonatal deaths. These have largely been aimed at increase in coverage of facility based services which include increased contraceptive use to reduce unwanted pregnancies, increase antenatal care and increase skilled deliveries. Despite these investments and increasing coverage, the expected reduction on maternal and neonatal deaths has not been realized.This policy brief therefore targets health managers and aims to demonstrate the need to move beyond increasing service coverage indicators to improving the quality of care in our facilities to reduce maternal and neonatal mortalities by ensuring availability of all BEmONC and CEmONC services. The success and value of UHC depends on its ability to provide quality services to all people, everywhere.