Makueni has positioned itself as the country’s unlikely centre of innovation in newborn survival after hosting the national World Prematurity Day commemoration on Monday, a moment that underscored Kenya’s worsening crisis of preterm births.
National data now shows that premature babies account for 13 per cent of all deliveries, placing Kenya among the 20 worst-affected countries globally.
The event in Wote did more than mark a symbolic day. It showcased a model that experts say could shift the trajectory of newborn deaths nationwide. Led by Tessie Mudavadi, the spouse of Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, and Makueni First Lady Anita Mutula, the government and partners unveiled what they described as a replicable rural blueprint for reducing preterm mortality.
Six new neonatal incubators were handed to Makueni, Kitui and Machakos under the Okoa Malaika programme, a small donation but one that directly fills a critical equipment gap in counties where newborn survival is often a matter of luck.
Makueni’s data tells the story. Of 1,411 preterm babies born in the last year, 250 died within the first month. Yet the county has engineered dramatic improvements in survival through low-cost interventions.
Its expanded Kangaroo Mother Care programme saved 512 of 515 preterm infants, and the recent launch of a neonatal intensive care unit, built with support from ENI Kenya, has further strengthened care.
Mudavadi announced that the national government has widened Linda Jamii coverage to increase access to skilled birth services, while Mutula was named Okoa Malaika Champion for South Eastern Kenya. Chinese Ambassador Guo Hiyan lauded Makueni’s approach, warning that failing to invest in preterm care carries long term social and economic consequences.
As purple balloons drifted over Wote, the message was unmistakable: counties do not need massive budgets to save premature babies. They need systems that work. Makueni, for now, is leading that charge.
