This archive report was first published on 24 November 2019.
Kenya's Preterm Baby Crisis ¶
Every year, Kenya loses thousands of preterm babies, but thanks to concerted efforts, their survival rates are improving. Dr. Wilson Aruasa, CEO of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, shares his insights on the challenges and solutions.
On November 17, 2019, the world marked World Premature Day under the theme, 'Born Too Soon: Providing the right care, at the right time, in the right place.'
Preterm babies are those born before 37 weeks, and they require close monitoring in the newborn unit (NBU). According to Unicef, approximately 15 million babies are born preterm globally every year, with Kenya accounting for 188,000 of these cases. At Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, at least 600 babies are delivered preterm annually.
Reports from Kenyatta National Hospital indicate that 50% of all deliveries comprise preterm babies. Preterm birth complications are the leading cause of death among children under five years.
Dr. Aruasa emphasizes the need for concerted efforts to save preterm babies, including investing in newborn units, training neonatologists and neonatal nurses, and establishing neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
Currently, the NBU at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, with a bed capacity of 50 and an average occupancy of 180 preterm babies, serves western Kenya, parts of Eastern Uganda, and Southern Sudan. Kenyatta National Hospital also faces similar challenges.
Dr. Aruasa calls for more private and public sector partnerships to establish more NBU and NICU facilities to cater to preterm babies, who are a delicate lot that cannot transition to a normal living environment like full-term babies.
Other concepts like Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) have also taken root in western Kenya and other parts of the country, which prevent hypothermia, have low-risk for infection, and high survival rates for preterm babies.
However, Dr. Aruasa stresses the need to improve the quality of antenatal care in both public and private facilities to reduce the risk of stillbirths and pregnancy complications and give women a positive pregnancy experience.
By focusing on a positive pregnancy experience, we not only ensure a healthy pregnancy for mother and baby but also an effective transition to labour and childbirth.
As part of efforts to improve maternal healthcare, the government introduced the Linda Mama programme, a package of health services accessed by women on the basis of need and not ability to pay.
However, more investments need to be made by county governments in maternity and neonatal services as well as in health promotion and education to complement the efforts of national referral facilities towards attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
One of the resolutions that came out of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Nairobi recently was the commitment to zero maternal mortality.
Let us all ensure that no mother dies while giving life since every child has a right to live.
Dr. Aruasa is the CEO of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH).
