By Tony Wafula
A new facility has opened at Sikata Bungoma Children’s Hospital, aiming to reduce maternal deaths in Bungoma County and neighbouring regions, including Busia, Kakamega, Vihiga, and Trans-Nzoia. The hospital is dedicated to improving access to maternal and child healthcare in these communities.
The facility’s director, Dr Dickens Lubanga, said the hospital has expanded its wards, modern theatre, newborn unit (NBU), maternity wing, and a full range of outpatient, immunisation, counselling, optical, dental and specialist services, all aimed at providing comprehensive, high-quality maternal and child healthcare under one roof. “Initially, we operated from a small building in Bungoma, but we have now moved to Sikata and expanded our scope of services,” Dr Lubanga said.
Speaking in Nairobi on 17 June 2025 during the official launch of a three-day co-creation workshop on maternal and neonatal health, Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr Ouma Oluga called for stronger, sustainable partnerships and greater collaboration to improve maternal and neonatal health services across the country, stressing the need to reduce preventable deaths.
Dr Oluga noted that despite significant government efforts, maternal mortality in Kenya remains unacceptably high. “I know that when it comes to deaths, we should not compare ourselves, but we are doing horribly badly compared to our neighbours,” he remarked.
According to the 2024 USAID report on Preventing Child and Maternal Deaths, Kenya’s maternal mortality rate stands at 594 deaths per 100,000 live births, far from the SDG target of 70 per 100,000 by 2030.
Dr Lubanga added that the new facility offers:
- 24/7 inpatient care and safe, comfortable wards, reducing risks associated with home deliveries or under-resourced clinics
- A fully equipped theatre and newborn unit to handle complicated deliveries and premature or delicate infants
- Immunisation services, counselling and specialist support are essential for maternal and newborn health
- Pharmacy and laboratory services to ensure prompt treatment and accurate diagnostics.
“With this expansion, Bungoma communities now have an opportunity to significantly reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, ensuring safer childbirth experiences for mothers and healthier starts for newborns,” he affirmed.
Dr Lubanga emphasised the need for collaboration with public facilities and community health promoters to address persistent challenges in Bungoma County. He further revealed that the facility specialises in handling preterm cases and has established partnerships with facilities in Eldoret.
According to the Ministry of Health, 12 per cent of all live births annually are preterm, while the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) reports a neonatal mortality rate of 21 deaths per 1,000 live births, accounting for 51 per cent of under-five deaths in the country.
[/full]
