PS Oluga calls for tougher accountability to curb maternal, newborn deaths
Oluga spoke during the inauguration of the National Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) Steering Committee, an oversight team tasked with strengthening the review, reporting and response mechanisms around maternal and newborn deaths.
Audio By Vocalize
Principal Secretary for Medical Services Ouma Oluga on Monday challenged health leaders and development partners to move beyond pledges and conferences and take concrete action to reduce maternal deaths, warning that Kenya has held similar discussions for years with limited change in outcomes.
Oluga spoke during the inauguration of the National Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) Steering Committee, an oversight team tasked with strengthening the review, reporting and response mechanisms around maternal and newborn deaths.
Addressing a meeting convened by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and attended by representatives of county governments and partners including UNICEF, WHO and UNFPA, Oluga said stakeholders must prioritise practical steps and accountability at facility level — what he termed “human intervention” — alongside policies, financing and equipment.
“We have done this a number of times for the last 10 years… The only thing that has not changed is the graph of how many women are dying,” Oluga said.
He said he supported Duale’s push for measurable progress, recalling that President William Ruto had previously questioned whether commitments being made were “just stories,” adding that the latest initiative must deliver results rather than speeches.
Oluga cited his experience in Nairobi City County, describing steps taken at Pumwani Maternity Hospital to tighten accountability among senior clinicians. He said requiring responsible officers to sign patient files helped create a culture of responsibility and contributed to a period of one year without a maternal death up to July 2022.
He also raised concerns over gaps in reporting, saying counties must submit maternal and perinatal death surveillance reports promptly to enable action. Oluga said the committee’s work should ensure reports reach decision-makers and drive corrective measures at governance, administrative and service delivery levels.
Oluga noted that Kenya already has digital systems that can track deaths and link them to specific facilities and care teams, citing a recent visit to Bomet where officials could quickly access facility-level information. However, he stressed that technology must be matched with real-time reporting and decisive action on the ground.
He said the Ministry would provide support to the newly inaugurated steering committee, but insisted the country must demonstrate impact.
“Let’s not give the President stories. Let’s give the President results,” Oluga said.
Leave a Comment