Maternal Newborn and Child Health Project

Goal

To reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in Kenya, with particular focus on four counties that adds to the overall burden of maternal and newborn deaths. These are Homa Bay, Turkana, Kakamega and Urban slums of Nairobi. 

Background

UNICEF has been implementing Maternal and New-born Health (MNH) projects, as part of a DFID initiative in a five-year programme in Kenya between 2013 and 2018. The DFID programme aims to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in Kenya through increasing access to, and utilisation of quality maternal and new-born health services. Aligned with sector priorities and in close collaboration with national and local authorities and other development partners, the programme has the following key components: 

• Scale-up training of health workers in emergency obstetric and neonatal care (EmONC). 
• Health systems strengthening and demand-side financing, targeting the poorest women in 6 counties. 
• Independent review to monitor progress against the indicators and milestones in the logical framework and annual work plans. 
• Evaluation consisting of a total of 3 retrospective studies at the programme’s end. 

In 2016, UNICEF identified World Vision International, as an implementing partner for a Maternal, New-born and Child Health (MNCH) project in selected counties. The project runs from July 2016 to July 2018. It will be implemented as part of UNICEF’s overall MNH programme and will complement efforts rolled out by the various partners. The interventions aim at increasing access and utilisation of basic maternal and newborn services, targeting women of reproductive age (15-49yrs), in selected high-burden disadvantaged counties (Turkana, Kakamega, Homabay and Nairobi). 

The project will implement activities through the Centres of Excellence concept, a health systems strengthening model that sequences the elimination of supply and demand barriers for MNH service provision.