Urban Health Study, Technical Report, Kenya,

Abstract

Nairobi's rapid population growth and unregulated urbanization has led to an increase in people living in informal settlements. Lack of essential services has led to stalling maternal and neonatal mortality rates. While many births occur in healthcare facilities, disparities in the quality of care persist. This study assessed the quality of maternal and newborn health services available and accessible to mothers and newborns in Korogocho and Viwandani to understand the gaps in efforts to reduce maternal and neonatal mortalities. This study evaluated service quality by analyzing feedback from clients, healthcare providers, and facility readiness. It aimed to identify underlying issues contributing to past reports of low-quality services, with a focus on improving care for urban poor women. Exit and indepth interviews were conducted with 412 clients and 24 healthcare providers from 17 and 22 sampled facilities, respectively to gauge their experiences with PCMC. Additionally, comprehensive data from all the 38 facilities offering delivery services were collected to assess their readiness to provide essential maternal and newborn health services.