Men have been encouraged to take a leading role in general child development in order to help reduce maternal death in children aged five years and below.
Speaking at Safari Park Hotel during the second annual conference held on 5th and 6th February 2020 on the Partnership for strengthening maternal, neonatal, child health and nutrition, Maternal health expert Esther Sangunyi said men should be directly involved since they are the main decision makers at home.
Sangunyi added that they have taken the ‘Lea Mimba’ approach to create a favorable home-grown environment where expectant mothers can comfortably discuss various issues that can help them improve maternal health care.
In conjunction with global, regional and national policies and commitment, the organizations under this Partnership for Strengthening Maternal, Neonatal, Child Health and Nutrition in Kenya (PSMNCHNK) was initiated by a group of six organizations contributing to addressing the challenges facing maternal, newborn, child and Nutrition (MCNHN) in Kenya.
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The partners include Action Against Anger, Aghakan Foundation, Amref, Hellen Keller international, Nutrition International and World vision. They share and implement different maternal, newborn, child and Nutrition projects spread across different countries.
PSMNCHNK’s theme is a holistic approach for improving health and nutrition in women, children and adolescent girls in Kenya.
The aim is to demonstrate efforts to improve maternal child health and nutrition through evidence based implementation, share knowledgeproducts and lessons from successful approaches for improving quality of RMNCAH and nutrition services and influence policy. Ii is also geared towards utilizing the group as a platform for policy influence, coordination and donor linkages for sustained program support.
Around 16,000 children under five die every day globally.
In Kenya, neonatal, infants under five mortality rates for 22 per 1000 live births, 39 per 1000 live births and 52 for 1000 live births respectively.
