Wamuzi News Ke
Kenya is facing a growing health crisis after county governors revealed that 934 newborns have died this year amid a deepening dispute over healthcare funding. The Council of Governors (CoG) says the deaths are linked to stalled reimbursements and an underfunding pattern that has crippled lower-level health facilities where most mothers seek delivery services.
According to the governors, the introduction of the Social Health Authority (SHA) payment system has created significant gaps in financing. They argue that the system has failed to reimburse dispensaries and small health centres that handle the majority of maternal cases in rural areas.
This, they say, has forced many facilities to operate without essential supplies and adequate personnel.Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif said his county recorded more than 1,000 deliveries in lower-level facilities between January and July but has received no compensation from SHA.
He warned that counties may be forced to withdraw from the system if the issue remains unresolved.Governors also fear that the funding shortfall is reversing progress made in reducing maternal and neonatal deaths.
They warn that fewer mothers are delivering at health facilities due to diminishing confidence in the system, and some counties report rising cases of preventable complications during childbirth.The crisis has also put pressure on the maternal and perinatal death surveillance programme, which relies on consistent reporting from community-level facilities.
Governors say this programme risks collapse if small facilities continue operating without support.The CoG has accused Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale of making critical decisions about the SHA system without adequate consultation.
They insist that counties, which are constitutionally responsible for health service delivery, must be fully involved in shaping the funding framework.Recent county data shows that Kenya’s neonatal death rate stands at 21 per 1,000 live births, a figure governors describe as alarming.
They say the country is moving further away from its target of 12 deaths per 1,000 live births unless urgent reforms are introduced.The governors have now called for a complete review of the SHA financing model, arguing that without reliable funding for frontline health centres, the country risks losing more newborns and undermining the gains made in maternal health.
