Pumwani Maternity Hospital achieves significant reduction in maternal deaths, becoming a national model
via Tuko2 min read
Pumwani Maternity Hospital recorded only two maternal deaths out of 11,515 deliveries in 2025, a substantial improvement from eight deaths in 2024. This achievement has positioned the hospital as a national model for safe childbirth and earned it recognition at State House. Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja attributed this success to strategic reforms, including changes in management structure, increased investment in staffing, infrastructure, and emergency maternal care services. Key interventions include the recruitment of additional nurses, doctors, and midwives, the expansion of emergency surgical services, and continuous staff training. The hospital introduced two fully operational maternity theaters running around the clock and established an in-house learning hub for healthcare workers. Furthermore, adherence to updated clinical protocols, improved referral coordination, and enhanced community outreach through Community Health Promoters have contributed to better outcomes. According to Health and Nutrition CEC Suzanne Silantoi, the establishment of a blood donation site within the hospital has also been crucial for timely access to blood products. Pumwani's success is seen as a blueprint for other public health facilities in Kenya to emulate in reducing maternal mortality nationwide.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Tuko.
Must ReadA government official, identified anonymously as Shamira, lost her 18-year-old daughter, Favour, in the Utumishi Girls Academy fire that claimed 16 lives and injured 79 on May 28. Shamira recounted that her daughter, a Form Four student, had expressed concerns about brewing tensions and unequal treatment at the school weeks before the tragedy. Favour, who dreamed of becoming a doctor, told her mother that the principal favored Grade 10 students over older girls. Concerned by these sentiments, Shamira wrote a letter to a board of management member, urging the school to address student grievances and warning against ignoring certain groups, which could breed resentment. She now regrets not following up on her concerns. Shamira advises schools to take all student warnings seriously, use suggestion boxes for grievances, and avoid locking out neighbors during emergencies, suggesting that some lives might have been saved at Utumishi Girls if these measures were in place. The family is currently awaiting DNA results to confirm Favour's remains.
Must ReadDetectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission EACC raided the home of Nairobi County Chief Officer for Urban Planning, Patrick Analo, on Thursday, June 4. During the early morning operation, EACC detectives recovered a substantial amount of cash, reportedly KSh 250 million, and several documents. The raid is linked to an ongoing graft investigation. A video showed bundles of cash stashed in two traveling bags.
The County Government of Kakamega has initiated a KSh 16.8 million solar power project aimed at significantly reducing electricity costs at its headquarters by over 90%. The project, funded through the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action programme and awarded to Bullfinch Holdings Limited, involves installing 80 solar panels and is expected to be completed within six months. Mariam Nyongesa Were, the Chief Officer for Climate Change, Water and Sanitation, stated that the project will also ensure a reliable power supply for critical weather data servers, enhance security with solar-powered streetlights, and provide clean energy for county infrastructure. The second phase of the project will extend solar energy to health facilities across the county, with Kakamega County General Hospital and Matete Level IV Hospital being the first beneficiaries, ensuring continuous operations despite power outages. Additionally, the solarization of weather stations in Likuyani, Matungu, and Malava will provide farmers with real-time climate data to aid in their planning.
Must ReadAn eight-year-old school play titled 'It Is Well,' written by former Kakamega senator Cleophas Malala, has gained attention due to its striking similarities to the recent Utumishi Girls Academy fire. The play, which was performed by Butere Girls High School in 2018, depicted a girls' school sponsored by security forces, a deadly dormitory fire, and students trapped by grilled windows. The Utumishi Girls Academy, where 16 learners died, is sponsored by the National Police Service and primarily admits children of police officers. Malala stated that the play was inspired by social divisions observed in society and aimed to use theatre to warn communities about potential dangers. He explained that 'It Is Well' explored the relationship between civilians and security forces, with a central scene showing a fire engulfing a girls' school, trapping students in a dormitory with grilled windows. Malala, who has written 83 plays, said his creative process often focuses on anticipating future challenges and that he intentionally chose a school associated with disciplined forces to highlight societal conflicts. He also noted that the play addressed issues like social segregation and the dangers of grilled windows in dormitories, as well as the failure of authorities to intervene in conflicts despite being aware of them. Malala expressed regret that the play's prophetic insights were not appreciated as content that could bring about societal change and criticized the censorship of school p