The African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) on Thursday, October 31, 2024, unveiled critical findings from its three-year initiative, the “Putting Countries Back on the Path to Sustainable Development Goals” (Back-on-Track) project.
The project, supported by the UK-based Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), aims to realign Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nigeria with Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) targets, focused on promoting health and well-being.
The event, themed “State of Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) Progress in Kenya,” convened leaders in public health, policy, and development at Park Inn by Radisson Hotel in Nairobi to discuss innovative solutions to scale up MNCH services.
AFIDEP’s Back-on-Track project employs rigorous data analysis and evidence-based methodologies to map Kenya’s maternal and child healthcare progress and challenges. Leveraging a combination of Health Management Information Systems (HMIS), Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Geographic Information System data, and stakeholder insights, the project evaluated critical indicators like child immunisation rates, antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, and modern contraception usage among women (including sexually active adolescent girls and young women). These findings spotlight urgent areas for action to ensure accessible, quality healthcare services for mothers, newborns, and children across Kenya.
Dr. Michael Chipeta, the project lead, explained: “Back-on-Track builds a data-driven roadmap of essential interventions that can truly transform lives on a large scale. By prioritising the availability, accessibility, quality, and utilisation of MNCH services, we aim to address critical challenges in Kenya and drive meaningful progress toward achieving SDG 3.”
The project’s findings underscore the profound impact of COVID-19 on MNCH service accessibility and utilisation. While national child immunisation coverage remained largely resilient, eight counties experienced a significant decline in antenatal care visits, and several saw decreases in skilled birth attendance. These disparities underscore the need for more resilient health systems that can withstand future crises. The research indicates substantial variations in maternal and child healthcare access at sub-national levels, with disruptions most prominent in underserved regions across Kenya.
Dr. Edward Serem, Head Division of Reproductive and Maternal Health at the Ministry of Health, noted: “The Back-on-Track project aligns closely with Kenya’s health priorities and provides us with clear evidence on where our focus needs to be – particularly in areas like maternal mortality, child vaccination coverage, and reproductive health services. As we move closer to 2030, achieving SDG 3 is urgent, and these insights are invaluable for aligning our health programmes with these goals.”
AFIDEP’s findings reveal a mix of achievements and areas needing critical attention. Kenya is on track to meet SDG 3 targets in neonatal and under-five mortality reduction, skilled birth attendance, and family planning demand satisfied through modern contraceptives. However, reaching targets in maternal mortality, basic vaccination coverage, and antenatal care remains a challenge.
Dr. Serem emphasised the importance of robust data collection, stating: “Effective health interventions are built on accurate, timely data that reflects realities on the ground. This evidence strengthens our ability to enact impactful, life-saving policies.”
In reproductive health, modern contraceptive usage has seen notable progress, with demand for family planning satisfied increasing to nearly 75% by 2022, and several counties surpassing national average. Yet, disparities persist, particularly in rural and underserved areas, stressing the importance of targeted initiatives to bridge these gaps and guarantee equitable access to reproductive health services.
AFIDEP’s findings identify systemic challenges within Kenya’s health sector, particularly around funding shortfalls and data quality. Despite increased investment in MNCH, Kenya’s health sector funding remains below the 15% target established in the Abuja Declaration, with only 9% of the national budget allocated to healthcare. Additionally, data collection remains inconsistent, and healthcare utilisation is still below SDG targets in key MNCH indicators. AFIDEP advocates for improved data systems, digital tools, and increased funding to strengthen Kenya’s health sector, among others.
Dr. Chipeta highlighted that this project reinforces AFIDEP’s commitment to bridging research, policy, and practice. “With the insights gained from the Back-on-Track project, we aim to empower public institutions to implement evidence-driven policies that foster sustainable improvements in maternal, newborn, and child health.”
