MPs alarmed by soaring caesarean births, demand overhaul of maternal care in Kenya
During debate on the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Bill, MPs urged the government to strengthen emergency obstetric care, improve data tracking, and ensure all women receive proper counselling and safe, evidence-based maternity services.
Members of Parliament have raised alarm over the growing number of cesarean deliveries in Kenya, calling on the government to prioritise quality maternal and newborn healthcare.
The concern was aired in the National Assembly on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, during the second reading of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Bill (Senate Bill No. 17 of 2023).
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Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi said Kenya must urgently strengthen emergency obstetric and newborn care services, describing it as a neglected area in the healthcare system.
“I’m thinking it’s also important to strengthen emergency obstetric and newborn care services because that’s another area where, as a country, we have lost focus,” she told legislators.
Elachi expressed concern that surgical deliveries are increasingly being treated as the norm, with many women scheduled for C-sections even when not medically necessary.
“When you are pregnant, the first thing the doctor tells you is, ‘on this date, you have the knife on you.’ When did that become so normal?” she questioned.
Post-delivery care counselling
She noted that, unlike in Europe—where natural births are preferred unless complications arise—many Kenyan mothers are being encouraged to undergo surgery, often without adequate counselling on post-delivery care.
The Bill, sponsored by Seme MP James Nyikal, aims to enhance the quality and accessibility of maternal and child healthcare nationwide. It underscores equal access, patient dignity, and accountability within health facilities, while directing the Health Cabinet Secretary to set and enforce clear regulatory standards.
It also proposes the establishment of maternal and child health registers in every hospital to ensure that decisions are based on accurate data. MPs said such documentation will help track maternal outcomes and inform future policy.
Migori MP Fatuma Zainabu proposed expanding the Bill to acknowledge the role of fathers in family wellbeing, suggesting it be renamed the Maternal, Paternal, Newborn and Child Health Bill, 2023. She said involving men in family health programmes could lead to better outcomes for mothers and children.
Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu welcomed the Bill’s emphasis on documentation and evaluation, saying a detailed record of maternal deaths would help identify preventable causes and strengthen targeted interventions across counties.
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