Kenya's National Commitment
Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere (EWENE) is a global initiative adopted by Kenya, led by the Ministry of Health and partners, to accelerate the reduction of maternal and newborn deaths.
The EWENE Acceleration Plan 2026–2028 and the Rapid Results Initiative plan are now available.
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Danger signs, check-ups, giving birth and caring for your newborn
How partners, families and community health promoters can help
Training, job aids, referral guidance and reporting tools
County progress, referral information and local stories
Ways to support EWENE and work with us
Press releases, verified facts, media kit and photos
Danger signs
Don’t wait to see if it gets better. Go to a health facility straight away or call the hotline.
Go to a health facility immediately or call the hotline.
Call 0800 722 023Get skilled help at a health facility now. Do not wait at home.
Call 0800 722 023Go back to the facility or call the hotline straight away.
Call 0800 722 023Take the baby to a health facility immediately.
Call 0800 722 023Source: Ministry of Health, Mother & Child Health Handbook. See all danger signs →
Approximately 5,000 maternal deaths per year from preventable pregnancy-related causes
NMR of 21 per 1,000 live births — approximately 42,000 neonatal deaths per year
Approximately 30,400 stillbirths annually — nearly half during labour
“Every newborn deserves not only the right to survive, but the opportunity to thrive.”H.E. Dr. William Samoei Ruto, C.G.H.
Most of these deaths can be prevented. They happen when time is lost at one of three points — and the most deaths happen after a mother has already reached a health facility.
When a family doesn't know that bleeding, a severe headache or a baby who won't feed is an emergency — or doesn't know where to go.
Campaigns on radio, TV, social media and in communities so every family knows the danger signs — aiming to reach at least 5 million households by 2028. Community health promoters, community dialogues and maternity open days.
When the right hospital is far away, transport is hard to find, or no ambulance comes.
Ambulances mapped and made functional in every county referral network. A referral coordinator and an emergency operations centre in every county. SHA reimbursement for emergency ambulance response.
Hotline: 0800 722 023When a mother reaches a facility, but the skilled staff, medicines, blood or equipment she needs aren't there.
900 health workers trained in emergency obstetric and newborn care, and 500 in comprehensive newborn care, across the 26 RRI counties. 260 skills corners with monthly emergency drills. 1.5 million doses of heat-stable carbetocin, zero stockouts of life-saving medicines as the goal, and 47,000 units of blood collected every month.
Sources: MPDSR Report 2024 and Kenya Quality of Care Health Facility Assessment 2024 (via the EWENE Policy Brief); Kenya EWENE Acceleration Plan 2026–2028; Rapid Results Initiative.
The 90–90–80–80 targets
Kenya has adopted the global Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere coverage targets. Here is what each one means, and where Kenya stands today.
Regular check-ups catch problems like high blood pressure and anaemia early.
A trained midwife, nurse or doctor at birth can act fast if something goes wrong.
Most serious problems after birth, like heavy bleeding and infection, start in the first days.
The first days are the most dangerous for a baby. The national target is still being set.
Source: Kenya EWENE Acceleration Plan 2026–2028, Kenya EWENE scorecard (June 2025). Read the plan →
These aren't just numbers on a chart. Each one means more mothers coming home, and more babies growing up.
per 100,000 live births
From 355to ≤140 by 2028
per 1,000 live births
From 21to ≤12 by 2028
per 1,000 births
From 19to ≤12 by 2028
of all births
From 89%to 100% by 2028
facility data (KHIS)
From 49%to 75% by 2028
medicine that stops bleeding
From 40%to 0% by 2028
all 7 basic emergency functions
From 37%to 80% by 2028
Where Kenya started2028 target Source: Kenya EWENE Acceleration Plan 2026–2028. What do these terms mean?
Kenya's plan works on ten fronts at once — from county budgets to the medicines on the shelf.
Stories & movement
Real stories from Kenya's counties — shared with the consent of the people in them.
County progress
During the Rapid Results Initiative, every county's progress is tracked weekly. Verified highlights appear here.
Placeholder: e.g. change in facility readiness or stock availability since the RRI began.
Reporting periodPlaceholder: e.g. health workers trained in emergency obstetric and newborn care.
Reporting periodPlaceholder: e.g. maternal and perinatal death reviews completed on time.
Reporting periodLearn the danger signs. Share them. Demand accountability. Together, we end this.
EWENE coordinates counties, communities, and facilities to remove delays in maternal and newborn care.
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