Health DG Dr Patrick Amoth takes part in the second International EndPPH Run at Ulinzi Sports Complex on September 28, 2025/HANDOUT
Kenyans of all walks of life on Sunday took part in the second International EndPPH Run.
The activity, which brought together students, youth, leaders, health partners and
communities, aimed to act as a nationwide call to action against postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH), which is the leading cause of maternal deaths in Kenya.
The run in Nairobi took place at Ulinzi Sports ground complex, with similar runs held concurrently
in other parts of the country, including Eldoret, Kajiado, Mombasa, Uasin Gishu,
Makueni and Kakamega.
Speaking during the run, Health Director General Dr Patrick Amoth noted that collaborative efforts are needed to reduce
maternal mortality in the country.
The DG acknowledged that Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH) remains the leading cause of maternal deaths in Kenya, accounting for up to 45 per cent of cases.
He said that while progress has been made in maternal and child health, too many mothers still lose their lives to this preventable and treatable condition.
“Mothers are not dying because we don’t have
the expertise or the know-how. Mothers are dying because we have not come
collectively as a community, as a society, to ensure that no mother dies when
they are giving birth,” Amoth said.
Amoth called on Kenyans—and especially healthcare workers—to sustain advocacy, ensure timely interventions, and strengthen community awareness.
According to the Ministry of Health, the burden is greatest in 13 hotspot counties, including Tana River, Garissa, West Pokot, Homa Bay, Migori, and Turkana, where lifesaving interventions are being prioritised.
“With early detection, prompt treatment, and community awareness, no mother should die while giving life.”
According to data from Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) 2022, maternal mortality remains high at 355 per 100,000 live births.
This means that the country is behind on its 2030 target of achieving 70 per 100,000 live births.
“We are off track in that space and therefore
coming together is about advocacy, it’s about partnerships and the ministry working
together with the Kenya Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.”
According to Jhpiego Ampli-PPHI project Country Lead Michael Muthamia, solutions to PPH are already saving
lives in several parts of the country, notably Makueni County.
“It’s not that we don’t know the solutions to
these deaths, and as Jhpiego, we have collaborated with the Ministry of Health
to bring these solutions to the country and to each and every maternity,” Muthamia said.
Speaking on their work in Makueni county, Muthamia
highlighted heat-stable
carbetocin and findings from the EMOTIVE trial, which had great results in
controlling PPH.
“We have tested these innovations in Makueni county, targeting around 36 facilities, which accounts for around 92 per cent of the
births, and we’ve seen a serious reduction in maternal deaths due to PPH,” he
said.
“In 2022, there were 12 deaths due to
excessive bleeding after birth, zero in 2023, zero in 2024, and only two so far
in 2025. So we know that there are solutions that can work.”
On his part, Professor Moses Obimbo, from the University
of Nairobi and the Kenya Obstetrical Gynaecological Society (KOGS), stressed the urgent need to address postpartum haemorrhage as Africa bears the brunt
of it.
“Postpartum hemorrhage kills about 70,000
women every year. That’s a huge number that we lose our women to. In Kenya
specifically, about 2,500 to 3,000 die because of pregnancy complications
related to postpartum hemorrhage,” Obimbo noted.
Obimbo noted that the
run is meant to create
awareness among the communities, policyholders and every other person in the
pipeline to advocate for resources to guarantee maternal
health and safety during delivery.
The run is a collaborative project of the
University of Nairobi, Kenya Obstetrical Gynaecological Society (KOGS), PPH
Foundation and the Midwives Association of Kenya.
In Nairobi alone, the run
attracted over 6000 participants, with thousands more across the country.
Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia also participated in the run.