SMART Advocacy programme launched in Nairobi to tackle maternal health challenges

The SMART Advocacy for Strategic Action (SASA) Alliance was officially launched today in Nairobi, aiming to combat the high maternal mortality rate in Kenya and other African countries.

Statistics reveal that each day, eight women in Kenya die during childbirth. However, Dr. Mohamed Sheikh, Director General of the National Council for Population and Development (NCPD), offered a glimmer of hope, stating that the nation has made significant progress in addressing these deaths through improved family planning initiatives and robust collaborations with various stakeholders.

Despite these advancements, Dr. Sheikh acknowledged that a major hurdle remains—insufficient funding. His remarks were delivered by Margaret Mwaila, Assistant Director of Population, during a conference in Nairobi that brought together experts and advocates from across Africa to discuss critical issues surrounding family planning, maternal health, and newborn care.

Dr. Bashir Issak, Director of Family Health at the State Department of Medical Services, strongly supported Dr. Sheikh’s assertions, confirming that the Ministry of Health is experiencing constraints in budgetary allocations for family planning. He emphasised the need for advocacy to mobilize domestic resources for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (RMNCH).

“Out of the Ksh 3 billion required for family planning, the government has only allocated Ksh 500 million,” he noted. “While we anticipate support from development partners, it is still not enough. We are engaging the National Treasury to increase this allocation—because this is not just a health issue; it’s our responsibility, and we must take care of our business.”

The launch of the SASA Advocacy Project marks a pivotal step in safeguarding maternal health and preventing avoidable deaths in Africa, as it seeks to turn policy pledges into real, measurable progress.

Recognising the urgent need for strategic advocacy, the SASA Alliance draws from a deep reservoir of technical knowledge and a vast network of partnerships across the public and private sectors. This initiative aims to empower local community actors, enhance advocacy efforts, and ensure that citizen voices play a crucial role in shaping health policies, especially those impacting family planning, maternal, newborn, and child health (FP/MNCH).

“The SASA Alliance is dedicated to equipping citizen-led organisations with the necessary tools, evidence, and expertise to navigate the complexities of advocating for improvements in FP/MNCH,” stated the Project Director, Sally Njiri.

“Our mission is to create sustainable progress in addressing the critical challenges of strained resources and slow policy implementation, while fostering a culture of accountability among leaders,” said Ms. Njiri at the launch event at the Radisson Blu Hotel, which was attended by government representatives, global institutions, and civil society organizations from across the sub-Saharan region.

Over the next three years, the SASA Alliance will focus its efforts on Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire, collaborating closely with civil society, policymakers, and existing advocacy initiatives to ensure that gender-sensitive interventions are prioritised in FP/MNCH service delivery, health policies, and system reforms.