As Kenya marked World Postpartum Haemorrhage Day, health officials reported that excessive bleeding during childbirth accounts for about 40 percent of maternal deaths nationwide, while communities across the country participated in solidarity runs to mobilize blood donations and demand faster emergency responses.
A safe delivery can transform into a life-threatening medical emergency within minutes when severe bleeding begins unexpectedly during or after childbirth. For families across Kenya, that risk remains an immediate daily reality.
Data from the Ministry of Health indicates that Kenya loses 15 mothers daily to preventable childbirth complications. According to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, heavy bleeding following childbirth represents roughly 40 percent of all maternal fatalities nationwide and remains the single biggest killer, leaving Kenya’s maternal mortality ratio elevated at 355 deaths per 100,000 live births.
The Personal Toll Behind the Run for Her Campaign in Nairobi and Beyond
Thousands of participants gathered at Ulinzi Sports Grounds in Nairobi for a 10-kilometre course dedicated to women at risk from excessive bleeding during the third annual Run for Her event. The mobilization extended across the country.
Francis participated in the marathon in solidarity with his wife. In 2020, Mariana suffered severe bleeding episodes linked to high blood pressure while pregnant with twins. She gave birth prematurely at 28 weeks, and although the infants received breathing support in a neonatal intensive care unit, they contracted an infection and died. A subsequent pregnancy the next year ended in a miscarriage.
When Mariana got another pregnancy in 2022, she carried the baby to about 36 weeks before giving birth.
After delivery, I bled seriously. I was feeling very dizzy and cold. I was given an abdominal pack and some medication to help me stop the bleeding. I remember asking about my baby, and no one wanted to tell me anything.
Mariana Mutwiri, via Daily Nation
Doctors later informed her that she had lost a critical amount of blood within a short time. Francis recalled the terror of receiving emergency news that his wife was in critical condition because of excessive bleeding, stating, I felt as though my life was also ending.
Christine Gitonga joined the Nairobi runners and donated blood at the sports grounds, stating that she is a mother and knows how it feels to lose blood.
Government Interventions and the Push for Immediate Blood Availability
Health ministry officials emphasize that curbing maternal mortality requires a coordinated overhaul of national infrastructure, staffing, and supplies. Dr Edward Serem, head of the Division of Maternal and Reproductive Health at the Health ministry, noted that the PPH run is meant to sensitise everyone on the leading killer of maternal deaths, stating that they need to eliminate PPH. He also pointed to the Every Woman, Every Newborn, Everywhere (EWENE) initiative as a central framework for reducing these fatalities, noting that one of the things the government is doing is making sure they employ more healthcare workers to be in a position to address those issues.
To boost hospital supplies and bring blood collection closer to neighborhoods, the roaming blood bank—officially called the PPH Foundation’s Roaming Blood Acquisition Scheme—seeks to gather upward of 2,000 units ahead of the event.
Specialists argue that systemic gaps remain severe despite these measures. The president of the Kenya Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society (KOGS), Dr Kireki Omanwa, pointed out that prompt and proper medical attention can avert numerous PPH fatalities, while advising expectant mothers to keep scheduled antenatal visits and plan deliveries at medical centers equipped with skilled personnel and emergency obstetric capabilities.
When a mother is bleeding, blood cannot be manufactured at the bedside. It must already be available.
Dr Kireki Omanwa, President of the Kenya Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society (KOGS)
Preconception Care and Regional Humanitarian Realities
Medical experts stress that preventing postpartum haemorrhage must begin long before a mother enters a labour ward. Prof Moses Obimbo, the lead of the End Postpartum Haemorrhage Run for Her initiative, said that mothers should not die as a result of preventable causes, noting that they cannot continue standing still and that as they run, they create visibility about the problem, while adding that there are many areas that they need to address about PPH such as anaemia, re-training of healthcare workers and blood shortages.
The challenge of delivering consistent emergency care extends far beyond East Africa. In the Goulmou region of eastern Burkina Faso, an escalation of violence beginning in 2018 contributed to a growing displacement crisis that led to the closure of health facilities and disrupted access to care, with more than 1 million people across affected regions losing access to health services by late 2019.
Addressing the crisis on a global scale requires turning international guidelines into national strategies that accommodate various care models while preserving uniform medical standards, project leaders note.
Back in Kenya, local jurisdictions continue facing acute local counts. Dr Jacob Ogawa reported that Homa Bay County has registered 17 maternal fatalities this year, with some linked to postpartum haemorrhage, while other experts stress that prompt identification, swift medical intervention, and readily available maternal care are vital for protecting women experiencing severe bleeding after birth.
Dr Omanwa expressed appreciation for the counties, medical personnel, professional bodies, partners, and local communities who took part in the End PPH Run and nationwide awareness campaigns, especially those who contributed blood.
