How many more mothers and newborns must we lose before we act?
Every Mother, Every Newborn Everywhere Matters: Preventable Deaths Are Unacceptable
It breaks our hearts here at White Ribbon Alliance Kenya (WRA Kenya) that mothers and newborns continue to die from causes we know how to prevent.
The revelation on November 6th, 2025, by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale that 164 newborns and 14 mothers died in Kiambu County during the five-month doctors’ strike is deeply painful. Yet, it does not come as a surprise to us. From what mothers, families, and healthcare workers across counties tell us, these tragic numbers reflect a broader and persistent crisis. A crisis where the right to health is often interrupted, where essential services are disrupted, and where preventable deaths are normalized.
Every one of these numbers represents a life, a mother who will never return home, a newborn who never had a chance, a family forever changed. Behind every statistic lies a story that should have had a different outcome.
At WRA Kenya, we stand firm in our belief that no woman should die while giving life, and no newborn should die from preventable causes. Maternal and newborn deaths are not only a health system failure but a violation of human rights. Every mother and every baby has the right to quality, respectful, and continuous care, regardless of their location or socioeconomic status.
We call upon county governments to prioritise maternal and newborn health as a moral, social, and political responsibility. Health systems must be adequately funded, equipped, and staffed to deliver uninterrupted, respectful, and life-saving care. Healthcare workers must be supported, not abandoned in the face of inadequate resources or systemic breakdowns. And policy makers and funders must ensure that commitments to maternal and newborn health translate into concrete actions and sustained investments.
“Each preventable maternal or newborn death is a call to conscience. “We cannot continue to look away while mothers die giving life. Protecting mothers and newborns is not just a health priority but a human rights and social justice imperative. Every leader, every community, every one of us has a role to play.”– Angela Nguku, Executive Director, White Ribbon Alliance Kenya.
The loss of a mother or a newborn is not inevitable. It is preventable. Every preventable death is one too many. It is time for all of us – from leaders to communities – to say, collectively and decisively: no more preventable deaths.
Every mother counts. Every newborn matters. Everywhere.
