First Lady Rachel Ruto calls for urgent action to curb maternal, newborn deaths

First Lady Rachel Ruto has called for urgent action to reduce maternal and newborn deaths in Kenya, saying no mother or child should die from a condition that can be prevented or treated. Speaking on the second day of the Kenya Health Summit at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi on Wednesday, Rachel said the country must translate health policies, investments and commitments into services that save lives. Kenya records about 355 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births and approximately 21 neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births. “No mother, no child should be lost to something preventable, so we must ask ourselves, how do we turn the promise to a reality?” she said. Rachel said reducing the deaths required coordinated action by the government, healthcare workers, development partners and other stakeholders.