Kitui County has joined the global campaign to end postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), with health officials calling for greater community awareness and increased support for mothers before, during and after childbirth.
County health officials led by Christine Mawia Sammy, who is in charge of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAHN), said the campaign was aimed at sensitising communities on the dangers of postpartum haemorrhage and discouraging home births.
Sammy urged expectant mothers to seek skilled maternity services in health facilities, saying deliveries conducted at home can make it difficult for healthcare workers to respond quickly when complications, including excessive bleeding, occur.
The campaign comes as the county continues to record cases of PPH, one of the major complications that can threaten the life of a mother following childbirth.
According to county health officials, Kitui recorded more than 250 cases of postpartum haemorrhage during the 2025/2026 financial year, with four maternal deaths reported among the cases.
David Silu, representing the County Executive Committee Member for Health and Sanitation, also urged residents to donate blood, saying adequate blood supplies are critical in managing mothers who develop severe bleeding after delivery.
“Blood donation can make the difference between life and death when a mother develops postpartum haemorrhage,” the director said, while encouraging residents to support blood donation drives across the county.
Health officials said strengthening community awareness, encouraging facility-based deliveries, ensuring timely referral and maintaining adequate blood supplies are key interventions in reducing deaths associated with postpartum haemorrhage.
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