Makueni County on Monday November 17, 2025 became the centre of national reflection and hope as the country marked World Prematurity Day at the Mother and Child Hospital in Wote.
Beyond the official speeches, the day carried the weight of countless families whose lives have been shaped by early births stories of heartbreak, resilience and survival.
Among the mothers attending was Mueni, who cradled her tiny six-month-old son, born weighing just 1.5 kilograms. She recalls spending weeks sleeping upright in a hospital chair, watching monitors flicker beside her baby’s incubator.
“Every day felt like a miracle we were praying for,” she said softly. Her son survived, thanks to specialized care that many rural families still struggle to access.
It is stories like Mueni’s that framed the significance of the event, presided over by Tessie Musalia, spouse of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and head of the Ushirika Wema Foundation, alongside Makueni First Lady Anita Mutula.
During the ceremony, the Ushirika Wema Foundation donated six neonatal incubators and accessories to Makueni, Kitui and Machakos counties under the Okoa Malaika Programme.
For families with premature babies, these machines often mean the difference between life and loss.
Tessie noted that premature births now account for an estimated 13 percent of all deliveries in Kenya, stressing that the government has expanded the Linda Jamii health cover to improve access to skilled birth attendance and critical newborn care.
“Every mother deserves the chance to hold a healthy baby and every baby deserves a fighting chance,” she said.
Makueni County First Lady Anita Mutula emphasized the urgency of the challenge at home. The County recorded 1,411 preterm births over the past year, with 250 infants tragically not surviving.
“Behind every statistic is a mother, a family, and a story that could have ended differently,” she said.
To change this reality, the county has invested heavily in neonatal care.
This year, Makueni opened its first neonatal intensive care unit at the County Referral Hospital through a partnership with ENI Kenya, a milestone that now offers lifesaving care closer to home.
The county has also strengthened its Kangaroo Mother Care programme, which encourages prolonged skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby. The approach has produced remarkable results, with 512 out of 515 preterm infants surviving under the initiative last year.
Health workers say the method not only stabilizes fragile newborns but also gives mothers a renewed sense of control and hope.
