Maternal and newborn mortality is fundamentally a governance challenge before it is a clinical one.
This was the central message at the 50th Council of Governors Summit (KOGSAT50), where county leaders, clinicians and development partners convened to accelerate the implementation of Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) across counties.
Leadership and accountability at the Centre
The summit, held in partnership with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), focused on strengthening accountability systems and ensuring that maternal and newborn death reviews translate into concrete action.
“Maternal and newborn mortality is first a governance issue before it is a clinical one,” leaders emphasised during the high-level dialogue.
Governors committed to embedding MPDSR firmly within county accountability structures, with several pledging personal engagement in review processes to ensure recommendations are implemented promptly.
“When leadership steps forward, systems respond and outcomes improve,” participants noted, underscoring the role of political will in driving better health outcomes.
Weekly MPDSR review meetings are now being strengthened in facilities offering maternal and newborn services, anchored in a non-punitive learning culture that promotes transparency and continuous quality improvement.
System reforms and the Mombasa eclaration
Beyond reviews, governors resolved to strengthen referral systems, guarantee the availability of essential commodities and blood products, invest in a skilled and motivated health workforce, and improve the quality and timeliness of maternal and newborn health data.
Leaders also called for increased and ring-fenced financing for maternal and newborn health, emphasising the shared responsibility between National and County Governments.
The summit concluded with the adoption of the Mombasa Declaration, placing leadership at the centre of aligning health systems to ensure no pregnant woman or newborn is left behind.
“We are taking deliberate, measurable steps to ensure every woman and every newborn not only survives, but thrives,” governors affirmed.
The renewed commitment signals a coordinated push by county governments to treat maternal and newborn mortality as a governance priority requiring sustained leadership, accountability, and investment.
