Pumwani marks 100 years as maternal deaths drop to two

Pumwani Maternity Hospital has recorded a significant improvement in maternal healthcare, reporting just two maternal deaths out of approximately 16,500 deliveries in 2025 as the facility prepares to mark 100 years of service.

The two deaths involved mothers who were referred to the hospital late, highlighting the importance of timely access to specialised medical care for women experiencing life-threatening pregnancy and childbirth complications.

Established in 1926, Pumwani Maternity Hospital has served generations of families in Nairobi and beyond, becoming one of Kenya's leading public facilities for maternal and newborn healthcare.

As it approaches its centenary celebrations, the hospital is highlighting investments in emergency maternity services, newborn care and improved medical infrastructure aimed at strengthening the survival of mothers and babies.

Nairobi County Executive Committee Member for Health and Nutrition Suzanne Silantoi said the facility now has two fully operational maternity theatres running around the clock, enabling medical teams to respond to emergencies and perform urgent deliveries at any time.

The hospital has also established an on-site blood donation centre to improve access to blood and blood products, particularly for mothers experiencing severe bleeding during or after childbirth.

Silantoi said the improvements were part of broader investments in public healthcare facilities under Governor Johnson Sakaja's administration.

The county has also introduced a CEO-led management model in major hospitals to strengthen operational oversight, resource management and service delivery.

In June 2026, Pumwani commissioned an upgraded Newborn Unit equipped to care for premature and critically ill infants.

The unit features a central heating system to help prevent hypothermia, alongside dedicated facilities for kangaroo mother care, which promotes skin-to-skin contact between mothers and their newborns.

Medical Superintendent Dr Chris Mugambi said the heating system had improved thermal regulation outcomes by more than 75 per cent.

Pumwani also hosts Kenya's Human Milk Bank, which provides screened and pasteurised donor breast milk to vulnerable newborns whose mothers are unable to breastfeed.

By August 2025, the milk bank had supported 1,887 newborns, with services extending to other county facilities, including Mbagathi and Mama Lucy Kibaki hospitals.

In May 2026, the President recognised Pumwani as the best-performing hospital in maternal and newborn care.

The hospital will mark its centenary from December 7 to 11, 2026, under the theme Pumwani @100 – A Century of Life and Legacy.

As part of the celebrations, Kenyans born at the facility, alongside their parents and grandparents, have been invited to share their birth stories and years through the campaign, “Ulizaliwa Pumwani? Tuambie mwaka wako wa kuzaliwa!”

The celebrations will bring together former patients, families and stakeholders to reflect on the hospital's contribution to maternal and newborn healthcare over the past century as it looks to strengthen its services for future generations.