Maternal and child health
“One of the greatest feelings is the satisfaction I get when I see a pregnant woman walking out of our facility with a full ANC profile blood test. Most maternal and infant mortality occur because of missed dangers that are well recognized with good antenatal care and follow-up.”
WHY?
The African Region accounted for 69% of global maternal deaths in 2020. In Kenya, despite efforts at the national level, between 2017 and 2020 maternal mortality increased by 55%. Kenya has a very high rate of maternal mortality at 530 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, compared to the global average of 223 deaths per 100,000 live births. (WHO 2023) Maternal mortality is most often a result of preventable causes such as hemorrhages, sepsis, obstructed or prolonged labor, and unsafe abortions.
OUR RESPONSE.
The Health Clinic sees an average of 419 women a month, approximately 88 of whom, on average, receive MCH or Family Planning-related care. Most of the pregnancy-related clients who come to The Leo Project Health Clinic are with us throughout their pregnancy journey and bring their children to the clinic for check-ups and vaccinations. The women who are with us throughout their pregnancy and after receive birth planning counseling, which includes planning for how they will get to hospital when they go into labor.
The Health Clinic provides free pre- and post-natal care and free child welfare services including immunizations, and growth and development assessments. As we build The Leo Project’s in-patient hospital, which will provide comprehensive pregnancy-related services including delivery, we conduct outpatient assessment, and triage and referral in the case of high-risk maternity cases. Additionally, our ambulance allows for emergency evacuations in the community for maternal emergencies.