New Beyond Zero Campaign to improve maternal and child

health outcomes in Kenya

30 January 2014

Fifteen women die every day due to pregnancy related complications in Kenya and 20% of all deaths
among mothers in the country are AIDS-related.
In order to improve maternal and child health outcomes in the country, the First Lady of Kenya,
Margaret Kenyatta launched the Beyond Zero Campaign on 24 January in Kenyas capital Nairobi.
The new initiative also aims to accelerate the implementation of the national plan towards the
elimination of new HIV infections among children.
I am deeply saddened by the fact that women and children in our country die from causes that can
be avoided. It doesnt have to be this way, said Ms Kenyatta. This is why I am launching the
Beyond Zero Campaign which will bring prenatal and postnatal medical treatment to women and
children in our country.
According to the Commission on Information and Accountability for Women and Childrens Health
2013 Update Report, in 2012 alone, more than 100 000 children died before their fifth birthday
largely due to preventable causes. In the same year, 13 000 new HIV infections occurred among
children and 62% of children living with HIV did not access life-saving antiretroviral drugs.
I wished that my mother had better access to maternal health care services that would have
protected her from contracting HIV, said Dorcas Kawira, a 21 year old HIV positive law student. She
also stressed the challenges she experienced in accessing and using HIV treatment during her
childhood. She highlighted that investing in the Beyond Zero campaign would secure the necessary
maternal and child health care to protect her and other young women living with HIV.
Donors and private sector organizations have already pledged funds to purchase mobile clinics that
will provide integrated HIV, maternal and child health outreach services in the country. For example,
James Mwangi, Chief Executive Officer of Equity Bank in Kenya, pledged US$ 580 000 during the
launch event. The Ministry of Health will also invest in 2014 an estimate of US$ 400 million towards
initiatives to reduce HIV transmission and maternal and child mortality, to increase the number of
skilled health care providers and to equip the existing facilities with relevant supplies.
The Beyond Zero campaign is part of the initiatives outlined in the Strategic Framework for the
engagement of the First Lady in HIV control and promotion of maternal, newborn and child health in
Kenya that was unveiled on World AIDS Day 2013. The framework aims to galvanise high-level
leadership in ending new HIV infections among children and reducing HIV related deaths among
women and children in Kenya.
The strategic framework focuses on five key areas: (i) Accelerating HIV programmes, (ii) Influencing
investment in high impact activities to promote maternal and child health and HIV control, (iii)
Mobilizing men as clients, partners and agents of change, (iv) Involving communities to address
barriers to accessing HIV, maternal and child health services and (v) Providing leadership,
accountability and recognition to accelerate the attainment of HIV, maternal and child health targets.
First Lady Margaret Kenyatta addresses Kenyans and friends of Kenya during a reception hosted by the Ministry of Devolution
and Planning and the Kenyan Mission to the United Nations in New York at the UN headquarters during the 59th session of the
Commission on the Status of Women. DPPS PHOTO

NEW YORK
First Lady Margaret Kenyatta's Beyond Zero campaign received a standing ovation at the 59th session of the Commission on the
Status of Women in New York even as she called for more action to reduce deaths and promote the health of mothers and
children.
Mrs Kenyatta who spoke on the sidelines of the conference taking place at the United Nations headquarters expressed
disappointment that 20 years after countries meeting in Beijing resolved to address health problems facing mothers and children,
in Kenya the issues remain "largely unchanged.''
She told participants at a presentation and panel discussion to highlight her efforts to increase access to health and reduction HIV
and Aids services among women and children that it was the reason her office initiated the Beyond Zero campaign, to stop new
infections of the pandemic and promote maternal, new born and child health.
"To save more lives, we must reach the most marginalised, disadvantaged and under-served populations and increase their access
to essential information and health services,'' Mrs Kenyatta told the participants at her "Strategic Leadership for women and girls
health-the Beyond Zero campaign in Kenya,'' forum.
GREAT MODEL
Some of those who attended were Mrs Rachel Ruto, the wife of Deputy President William Ruto, Cabinet Secretary for
Devolution and Planning Ms Anne Waiguru who is heading Kenya's delegation to the conference which include women Senators,
MPs a few governors and members of the civil society and head of Kenya's Permanent Mission to the United Nation Mr
Macharia Kamau.
Delegates at the well-attended forum lauded the Beyond Zero as a great model in saving lives of mothers and children from
preventable diseases.
Mrs Kenyatta said the Beyond Zero campaign whose clinics are equivalent to a level-four hospital, requires 26 more mobile
clinics to cover 27 counties. So far, she has handed over such clinics to 21 counties.
Through the campaign, the First Lady said, her office had complimented government actions where free maternity services had
become available in national hospitals.
"Our experiences have been very enlightening and gratifying in seeing the lives of our mothers and children saved from
preventable deaths,'' Mrs Kenyatta told participants who were also shown a short documentary of the dividends of the fully
equipped mobile clinics in various parts of the county.
FOCUSED LEADERSHIP
Deputy Executive Director UNAIDS, a panellist at the vent, described Beyond Zero as "an example of what focused leadership
can do to mobilise resources from individuals, public resources from individuals, public and private sectors to solve challenges
facing underprivileged sections of society.''
Kandara MP Alice Wahome, speaking on behalf of women parliamentarians said the Beyond Zero campaign had triggered the
National Assembly and Senate's discourse on maternal health.
"For example, through the Kenya Women Parliamentarians Association, women MPs have been able to build the capacity of
Members of County Assemblies on reproductive health and budgeting,'' said Ms Wahome, the association's treasurer.

Ms Madina Golicha,wife of Isiolo governor, who spoke for counties talked of the benefits of the clinics and asked that each
county gets more than one mobile clinic.
The First Lady announced she would host a Stop Cervical and Breast and Prostate Cancer in Nairobi in July.