Lea Salama Project Aims to Reduce Maternal and Newborn Deaths in Nairobi and Kwale

A new maternal and newborn health initiative, the Lea Salama Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH) Project, was launched on Thursday, April 2, 2026.
This initiative targets Nairobi and Kwale Counties to address Kenya’s persistently high maternal and neonatal mortality rates.
According to 2019 data, Kenya’s Maternal Mortality Ratio currently stands at 355 deaths per 100,000 live births, while the Neonatal Mortality Rate is 21 per 1,000 live births.
The situation is particularly concerning in the project’s target counties, with Kwale recording an MMR of 464 and Nairobi 326.
Experts indicate that for Kenya to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal target of 70 or fewer maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030, the country would need to accelerate its annual rate of reduction by approximately five times its current pace.
The project, a partnership between UNFPA and the Britam Foundation, utilizes UNFPA’s technical leadership in Sexual and Reproductive Health alongside Britam Foundation’s strategic healthcare investment.
It primarily targets vulnerable pregnant women and underserved communities, as well as frontline health providers and facilities in both counties.
Central to the initiative is the recognition that most maternal and neonatal deaths are preventable, with the majority stemming from the “three delays” model: delays in seeking care, reaching a health facility, and receiving quality Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC).
The project has established three key objectives to be achieved by July 2027: strengthening health system capacity to deliver quality MNH services with a focus on EmONC; ensuring targeted facilities consistently conduct Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) audits, with all near-miss cases resulting in data-driven remedial action; and significantly increasing demand for and uptake of quality MNH services among women in both counties.
To achieve these goals, the project will enroll up to 10,000 pregnant women on the PROMPTS digital platform, expand EmONC mentorship and skills drills, introduce innovative technologies such as point-of-care ultrasound (OPOCUS) in antenatal care clinics, and enhance the use of routine health data for decision-making through platforms including eCHIS and KHIS.
This initiative is expected to improve access to antenatal, skilled birth attendance, and postnatal care services, while creating a scalable model that can inform broader maternal and newborn health investments across Kenya.