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World Bank, Kenya to partner to improve maternal health

Xinhua, April 13, 2017 Adjust font size:

Kenya and the World Bank will partner to roll out a project to improve maternal, child and adolescent health, Kenyan officials said on Thursday.

The five-year Transforming Health System for Universal Care (THS-UC) project will begin in October and end in September 2021 and will strengthen institutional health capacity in order improve quality of health services in the counties.

Co-chair of THS-UC Project William Muraah told a media briefing in Nairobi that Kenya has received a 150 million U.S. dollar loan from the World Bank to fund the project that aims to disburse resources to the 47 counties in order to improve their primary health services.

"The five year project will improve access to and demand for quality primary health care services so as to reduce maternal deaths," Muraah said. Government data indicates that Kenya loses 362 women for every 100,000 live births.

Muraah said through the project Kenya should reduce the figure to 70 per live births by the year 2030. According to the ministry of health, 15 out of 47 counties account for 85 percent of all maternal deaths.

He said that the counties with weaker health systems will receive more priority funding as compared to the ones with stronger health systems.

THS-UC will be implemented by the 47 counties government because health is a devolved function.

Muraah, who is also the Meru County Executive Committee Member in Charge of Health, said that all the county governments are currently developing work plans to execute the project.

He noted that project is aligned to Kenya's constitution, the second medium term development plan as well as the Sustainable Development Goals. Endit