By Magdalene Wanja - Reporter
Kenya, June 30, 2026 - Kenya records between 1.2 million and 1.3 million births annually, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), yet thousands of newborns die within their first weeks of life each year.
Data from the Ministry of Health under the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere (EWENE) initiative shows that approximately 42,000 newborns die annually, contributing to more than 51,000 infant deaths. This translates to nearly 92 newborn deaths every day.
While access to healthcare remains a key challenge, health experts say insufficient maternal and newborn health information is also a major contributing factor.
Many mothers, particularly in low-resource settings, continue to make critical decisions during pregnancy and after delivery without adequate guidance. Health advocates warn that misinformation around pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and newborn care remains widespread, increasing the risk of preventable complications and delays in seeking medical attention.
Ashley Muteti, founder of the Zuri Nzilani Foundation, says improving awareness is essential to reducing newborn deaths.
“There are still huge gaps in awareness, and this lack of knowledge directly affects both mothers and their babies,” she said.
The foundation reaches more than 500 mothers annually through community-based programmes focused on breastfeeding education, maternal health, and childhood immunisation. Working alongside international researchers from Royal Holloway University of London and healthcare providers such as Jacaranda Maternity, the organisation combines medical expertise with community education to help mothers make informed decisions.
Nurse and breastfeeding specialist at Jacaranda Maternity, Isabela Mudogo, says breastfeeding remains one of the most effective interventions for improving newborn survival.
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“Breast milk is nature’s perfect food. It contains immunoglobulins that strengthen a baby’s immune system, is always at the right temperature, and is easy to digest,” she said.
She added that breastfeeding not only protects infants from infections and illness but also strengthens emotional bonding between mother and child. Mudogo emphasised the importance of fathers’ active participation in supporting breastfeeding and newborn care, noting that family involvement plays a critical role in improving maternal confidence, reducing stress, and ensuring consistent infant care practices at home.
Health experts further stress that improving newborn survival outcomes will require stronger household and community-level support systems, not just medical interventions. They say that when fathers and other family members are actively engaged, mothers are more likely to sustain breastfeeding, seek timely healthcare, and maintain better overall wellbeing.
Adding to this, researcher Pengzhan Qian, Ph.D., from Royal Holloway University of London, highlighted the importance of family support in breastfeeding outcomes. He said: “Households that support breastfeeding have healthier babies and healthier mothers.” He also noted that he is currently conducting a study in collaboration with the Zuri Nzilani Foundation aimed at improving household-level support systems for new mothers, with a particular focus on strengthening father involvement and family education.
Health advocates say that reducing newborn deaths will require more than investments in hospitals and medical equipment. They emphasise that lasting progress depends on ensuring mothers and families have access to accurate, evidence-based information and strong household support systems.
According to experts, when families are well-informed and actively involved in newborn care, mothers are better equipped to recognise danger signs, seek timely medical attention, and adopt safer care practices,ultimately improving survival rates and giving newborns a healthier start to life.