maternal health conference: Kenya hosts 3,000 delegates as maternal deaths hit 6,200 yearly

Sarah Mills | GlobalBeat

Kenya will host the International Maternal Newborn Health Conference in Nairobi from September 8 to 11, the health ministry said.

The meeting drew 3,000 delegates from 70 countries, organizers announced.

Maternal deaths reached 6,200 in Kenya last year, government data showed.

Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha told reporters the conference aimed to cut maternal mortality rates across Africa.

“Kenya recorded 530 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births,” Nakhumicha said on Monday.

The conference venue was the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, organizers confirmed.

Kenya ranked 24th globally for maternal deaths, according to World Bank statistics.

African Union health commissioner Hanan Balkhy said the continent needed urgent interventions.

“Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 70% of global maternal deaths,” Balkhy told the opening session.

UN Population Fund country representative Emmeline Kivuyo said local factors worsened the crisis.

“Distance to facilities, lack of skilled birth attendants and poverty drive deaths,” Kivuyo said.

Delegates planned to review progress on 2030 targets set by the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The ministry allocated $20 million for maternal health programs this fiscal year, budget documents showed.

## Background

Kenya first hosted the biennial conference in 2013, drawing 2,000 participants, previous records showed.

Maternal mortality worldwide declined 34% between 2000 and 2020, WHO figures indicated.

## What’s Next

Organizers will issue a Nairobi Declaration on September 11 outlining new funding commitments.

The declaration would guide African governments’ maternal health spending for the next two years, conference chair Elizabeth Nyeko said.