Wote: Women Engaged in Development has trained 15 boda boda riders in Makueni County to play a key role in maternal health care under the Okoa Mama na Mtoto initiative. The riders, serving as chairpersons from the six constituencies, were equipped to act as trainers on maternal, newborn, and adolescent health across the county. They will cascade this knowledge to their peers, aiming to improve survival rates for mothers, newborns, and adolescent girls who face early pregnancies.
According to Kenya News Agency, Prof. Ann Beatrice Kehara, Executive Director of Women Engaged in Development, spoke at the launch of the initiative at Mother and Child Hospital in Wote, Makueni Subcounty. She highlighted the lack of male involvement in maternal care and introduced a social innovation program targeting boda boda operators to address this gap. The initiative seeks to achieve better survival outcomes for mothers and babies while enabling young girls to continue their education after early pregnancies.
Prof. Kehara noted that in rural areas, many expectant mothers rely on boda boda as the most accessible and affordable means of transport during emergencies. She emphasized the importance of sensitizing riders to ensure timely access to health facilities for these women. Makueni’s challenging terrain, full of hills and valleys, often restricts ambulance access, making boda boda a crucial alternative for reaching health facilities swiftly.
She further identified excessive bleeding after childbirth as a primary cause of maternal deaths and stressed the need to establish a cohort of men who can donate blood to women in need. The initiative represents a collaborative effort between the Department of Health and Women Engaged in Development.
Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr, also addressing the forum, underscored the importance of sensitizing boda boda riders, as they are often relied upon by expectant mothers. He stated that their involvement is crucial to reducing maternal and child mortality in the county. ‘Research has shown that men never assist expectant mothers. The training today of boda boda riders will ensure they get involved in maternal health since pregnant mothers use boda boda to get to hospital,’ said Governor Mutula.
