The Ministry of Health in Kenya has reportedly stopped funding deliveries at Level Two healthcare facilities, putting hundreds of expectant mothers in rural areas at risk. This decision has led to a noticeable drop in facility births and a concerning increase in maternal and newborn deaths.

• Since the start of the year, 924 mothers and 10,000 newborns have lost their lives in various hospitals.
• The Council of Governors (CoG) is questioning the ministry's decision, emphasizing that for many rural mothers, dispensaries are the only accessible delivery points.
• The Tharaka Nithi Governor, Muthomi Njuki, and Mandera Governor, Mohamed Adan Khalif, highlighted the critical role of these facilities in remote regions.
• The Ministry of Health denies issuing a directive to stop reimbursements but states that Level Two facilities are not licensed for inpatient services under existing regulations.
• Kenya currently loses 5,680 mothers and 33,600 newborns annually.