Saving Mothers has a longstanding partnership with the Kapenguria County Referral Hospital in West Pokot,
Kenya. There is an ongoing project called the Maternal Continuum of Care Program which seeks to promote
prenatal care and hospital deliveries in the area and improve maternal mortality and birth complications. A
hallmark of this program is training local providers in ultrasound, clinical protocols, and surgical procedures,
including IUD placement, as well as periodic in person trips to provide more in-depth surgical interventions and
training. As a first-time participant, I will not only be able to provide additional support to on the ground
interventions during this trip, but also gain the skills to continue this training in the future. So far, this work has
resulted in a 25% decrease in neonatal mortality in the area, and we anticipate that the continuation of the
program will benefit even more infants and mothers in years to come.
This project serves women and infants in West Pokot, Kenya. This population has a low rate of healthcare
usage both due to barriers in accessing care and scarcity of care available. There is a high rate of home birth
that often results in poor outcomes for both mother and child and by supporting the existing healthcare
resources we can make a meaningful impact in the lives and health of these patients.
This project is ongoing and has already seen improvement in the prenatal care utilization, increase in hospital
deliveries and decreases in neonatal mortality. This trip specifically will focus on educating local healthcare
workers on safety protocols, providing clinical training and simulation, and providing pro bono surgical
interventions to patients with complications of childbirth. I've dedicated my life to creating a more equitable world for women and girls around the globe. As president of Saving Mothers - this trip will once again remind me why this work is important and allow our NY and Kenya teams to connect and consider new ways to partner.
On this trip, we completed a 39 surgeries within four days. We were able to screen patients ahead of time for varying gynecological surgeries. Some patients travelled to Kapenguria hospital when hearing (over radio and hospital advertisements) that our team was coming from NY. Speaking with patients afterwards and hearing them describe their relief was incredibly impactful - particularly because you continuously learn more about the diverse set of challenges there are in receiving healthcare around the world.
