Thousands of Kenyans on Sunday participated in the second edition of the International EndPPH Run, a nationwide initiative aimed at raising awareness and mobilizing action against postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), the leading cause of maternal deaths in the country.
The flagship event was held at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi and drew students, youth, health workers, government officials, and development partners. Similar runs were staged concurrently in Eldoret, Kajiado, Mombasa, Uasin Gishu, Makueni, Kakamega, and other counties.
Health Director General Dr. Patrick Amoth underscored the urgency of addressing PPH, which accounts for up to 45 percent of maternal deaths in Kenya.
“Mothers are not dying because we lack the expertise. They are dying because we have not come together as a society to ensure that no mother dies while giving birth,” Dr. Amoth said, urging Kenyans to sustain advocacy and support timely interventions.
According to the Ministry of Health, 13 counties — including Tana River, Garissa, West Pokot, Homa Bay, Migori, and Turkana — bear the highest burden of PPH, and lifesaving interventions are being prioritized there. Kenya’s maternal mortality rate remains at 355 deaths per 100,000 live births, far off the 2030 target of 70.
Jhpiego Ampli-PPHI Project Country Lead Michael Muthamia highlighted innovations that are already saving lives, including the use of heat-stable carbetocin and findings from the EMOTIVE tria
“In Makueni County, where we’ve implemented these solutions in 36 facilities covering 92 percent of births, deaths from PPH dropped from 12 in 2022 to zero in 2023 and 2024, with just two reported so far in 2025,” Muthamia said.
University of Nairobi lecturer and Kenya Obstetrical Gynaecological Society (KOGS) member Prof. Moses Obimbo stressed that Africa bears the heaviest toll of PPH, with about 70,000 women dying globally each year — 2,500 to 3,000 of them in Kenya alone.
The event was organized by the University of Nairobi, KOGS, the PPH Foundation, and the Midwives Association of Kenya. Over 6,000 participants joined the Nairobi run, with thousands more taking part countrywide.
Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia also held parallel events, reflecting a growing regional movement to eliminate maternal deaths caused by excessive bleeding after childbirth.
“With early detection, prompt treatment, and community awareness, no mother should die while giving life,” Dr. Amoth emphasized.
