Afya Kwa Ukoo: Engaging Cultural Institutions and Culturally-Sensitive Facility-Based Delivery on Maternal and Newborn Health Service Utilization in Garissa

Abstract

Governments across the globe have committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by the year 2030, by putting in place systems that safeguard the well-being of all. Of note are Articles 3.1 and 3.2 (under Goal No.3), which seek to reduce global maternal mortality and end preventable deaths of newborns. Over the period of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which preceded the SDGs, trends showed some improvements in maternal and child health. However, a lot remains to be done. In Kenya, the number of women who die of pregnancy related causes remain relatively high. According to the 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, for every 1,000 live- births 362 mothers died. This is in comparison to 520 mothers for every 1,000 births within a similar survey period as recorded in the 2008 national survey.