Emergency hotline 0800 722 023 — Free, 24/7
  • 28 May 2026: the President launched the Kenya EWENE Acceleration Plan 2026–2028 and the 6-month Rapid Results Initiative
  • Emergency hotline: 0800 722 023 — Free, 24/7
  • Rapid Results Initiative: 28 May – 28 November 2026, with extra support for 26 high-burden counties
  • RRI target: 15% fewer maternal deaths, newborn deaths and stillbirths in health facilities in the 26 counties
  • KES 5 billion a year for SHA cover for mothers who cannot afford it
  • 900 health workers to be trained in emergency obstetric and newborn care across the 26 RRI counties
  • 1.5 million doses of heat-stable carbetocin to be procured to prevent heavy bleeding after birth
  • Half of maternal deaths involve danger signs not recognised in time — know the signs
  • 2028 goal: maternal deaths down from 355 to 140 or fewer per 100,000 live births
Glossary

Health terms,
in plain words.

What the abbreviations and technical terms used by EWENE and the Ministry of Health mean.

Glossary terms

22 terms

A

ANCAntenatal care
The check-ups a woman has at a health facility while she is pregnant.

C

CEmONCComprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care
Hospital emergency care for mothers and babies, including caesarean sections and blood transfusion.
CHACommunity Health Assistant
A health worker who supervises community health promoters in a community health unit.
CHPCommunity Health Promoter
A trained member of your community who visits homes, gives health advice and helps people reach care. (Formerly called community health volunteers, CHVs.)

E

EmONCEmergency Obstetric and Newborn Care
The life-saving treatments a facility must be able to give mothers and newborns in an emergency.
EWENEEvery Woman Every Newborn Everywhere
Kenya's national push, aligned to the global initiative, to end preventable deaths of mothers and newborns.

F

FIFFacility Improvement Fund
Money a public health facility collects and is allowed to keep to improve its services.

K

KEMSAKenya Medical Supplies Authority
The government agency that buys, stores and delivers medicines and supplies to public facilities.
KHISKenya Health Information System
The national system where health facilities report their data.
KMCKangaroo Mother Care
Keeping a small or early baby warm through skin-to-skin contact with the mother, day and night.

M

MMRMaternal Mortality Ratio
How many women die from pregnancy or childbirth, for every 100,000 babies born alive.
MNHMaternal and Newborn Health
The health of women during pregnancy, birth and after, and of babies in their first weeks.
MPDSRMaternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response
The system for reporting and reviewing every death of a mother or baby, so the causes can be fixed.

N

NMRNeonatal Mortality Rate
How many babies die in their first 28 days, for every 1,000 born alive.

P

PNCPostnatal care
Check-ups for the mother and baby after birth — the first within two days.
PPHPostpartum haemorrhage
Heavy bleeding after giving birth — the leading cause of maternal deaths in Kenya.
PROMPTSRika PROMPTS SMS
A free SMS service used to share maternal and newborn health messages with families and to support reporting.

R

RRIRapid Results Initiative
A six-month push, from 28 May to 28 November 2026, to get quick, measurable results in high-burden counties.

S

SHASocial Health Authority
The national body that runs public health insurance in Kenya.
SHIFSocial Health Insurance Fund
The public health insurance fund managed by SHA.
Stillbirth
When a baby dies in the womb after 28 weeks of pregnancy, or during birth.

T

Three delays
The three hold-ups that cost lives: deciding to seek care, reaching care, and receiving good care once there.

Abbreviations and full names follow the Kenya EWENE Acceleration Plan 2026–2028.

Emergency hotline

Need help now?

Pregnant, in labour or caring for a newborn and something feels wrong? Call now — don't wait.

Call 0800 722 023 Free, 24/7