Motorbikes and midwives: Delivering better care for Kenya's mums

Having a baby in rural north-western Kenya is a risky business for the expectant mums who live there.
The likelihood of a woman dying in childbirth here is frighteningly high. Across the country, 560 mums die for every 100,000 children - in parts of northwestern Kenya that figure can double. In Britain, the rate is around eight per 100,000.

But there are many ways that aid money is making a big difference. As part of DFID's wider £50m country programme in Kenya, we are working with the Kenyan government to help improve maternal and newborn health services. We are putting in place newly-trained community health workers, a civic education programme, a new maternity unit, and a new motorbike ambulance service.

To find out more about our work on maternal health in Kenya, please visit: www.dfid.gov.uk/news/files/kenya-mothers-day.asp

Category:

Education

Tags:

• DFID
• Kenya
• Mother's day
• mothers day
• pregnancy
• maternal health
• giving birth
• motorcycle ambulance
• maternal mortality

[fivequotes]

Great site here,

[chanukatuchanuane]

We have like the work that you guys are doing

[nielspete]

They need you

Pete

[redhead31293]

i am thinking of becoming a midwife to kenya:)

[nielspete]

Are there any other DFID projects of this kind planned for the near future?

Pete

[helenclacton]

I had siilar problems with my 3rd child to the young woman in the video, afterbirth delaying in coming away and then a lot of blood loss, so I had to go in hospital after giving birth, that was in the UK in 1970, in 1942 my own mother died in giving birth to me and I think she had similar problems, it is a great loss to lose your own mother, it is vital women get appropriate health care at this time .

[nielspete]

Can someone please let me know where I can find out more about these vehicles and how to get hold of them.

[nielspete]

Great to see the eRanger Ambulance in action.

Well done to all involved.

Pete Sonderskov

[anyangman]

Fantastic, inspiring stuff. Well done DFID for helping this to happen, and all power to the fantastic midwife and folks there in the community.