A New Beginning at Ikanga Hospital: How CMMB is Saving Mothers and Newborns, One Breath at a Time
Photo: Nurse Miriam provides care to baby Roman in the Maternity Unit at Ikanga Level 4 Hospital in Kenya (Content Hub Media for CMMB Kenya).
For years, childbirth at Ikanga Level 4 Hospital in Kenya came with quiet anxiety. The maternity unit was cramped, with only one couch used for deliveries and four postnatal beds. Mothers recovering from childbirth shared space with pediatric admissions, compromising privacy, dignity, and infection control. Critically ill and premature newborns had no designated care unit. Most were referred over long distances to Kitui County Referral Hospital or Mutomo Mission Hospital—journeys that many fragile lives could not afford.
Today, that story has changed.
Through CMMB’s partnership with the County Government, Ikanga Level 4 Hospital is now a source of hope for mothers and newborns across Ikanga–Kyatune Ward in Eastern Kenya and surrounding communities.
Improved Care for Mothers
With CMMB’s support, a new maternity block was opened in November 2021, significantly expanding the facility’s capacity and quality of care. The unit now accommodates two delivery beds instead of one, while postnatal beds have more than doubled—from four to nine—creating space, comfort, and dignity for new mothers.
Most importantly, postnatal mothers now recover in a designated ward, separated from general admissions. This shift has enhanced privacy, reduced congestion, and improved infection prevention. These small changes make a profound difference during one of the most vulnerable moments in a woman’s life.
Specialized Care for Fragile Newborns
Perhaps the most transformative milestone at the Ikanga Hospital is the establishment of a fully-fledged Newborn Unit (NBU)—the first of its kind in the entire Kitui South sub-county.
Before, premature and low-birth-weight babies had limited chances of survival. Today, the NBU has a 15-bed capacity, incubators, phototherapy services, and trained staff capable of managing the deadliest complications such as prematurity, neonatal sepsis, birth asphyxia, and hemorrhagic disease of the newborn. The unit was fully operationalized in November 2022, with the first admission December 18, 2022.
Since then, babies born as small as 1.35 kgs/2.9 lbs—and even lower—have been nursed back to health. Some have stayed in the unit for weeks, even months, before being discharged healthy and strong, returning to the community as living proof that survival is possible when care is brought closer to home.
“I am now confident when handling complicated deliveries,” registered nurse Miriam shares. “When a mother comes in preterm, I am assured there is a place for the baby. Before, that assurance did not exist.”
The new NBU has also enabled kangaroo mother care (KMC)—a lifesaving intervention promoting skin-to-skin contact for stable preterm and low-birth-weight babies. Mothers are initiated into KMC at the facility, monitored closely, and supported until their babies reach the recommended discharge weight. Many leave not just as caregivers, but as community ambassadors, teaching other mothers the benefits of KMC.
CMMB’s support goes beyond the hospital walls. Community health promoters linked to Ikanga Hospital have been trained on KMC, enabling continuity of care at home and ensuring that fragile newborns continue to thrive long after discharge.
Care Strengthened with Clean Water and Hygiene
Integral to these gains is the improvement of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities within the maternity and newborn care spaces. Reliable water access and improved sanitation have strengthened infection prevention and control, protecting mothers, newborns, and health workers alike. Clean delivery environments have reduced the risk of sepsis—one of the leading causes of neonatal illness and death in health facilities—among moms and newborns.
Support for Health Workers
CMMB’s investment has also focused on people. CMMB and the government provided training and mentorship to nurses and clinicians in neonatal resuscitation, Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC), Essential Newborn Care, and point-of-care ultrasound. What was once theoretical knowledge is now applied confidently at the bedside, saving lives in real time.
“Now we see babies who weigh 1.5 kilos [3.3 lbs] return months later healthy,” Miriam reflects. “These are the success stories that remind us why this work matters.”
Our Promise
Today, Ikanga Level 4 Hospital serves as a referral point for surrounding private facilities and dispensaries. Drawing mothers from distant villages with the promise of quality care, the hospital has supported over 1,200 pregnant women and premature newborns since 2023. With a monthly delivery target of 26 births and rising community trust, the facility is no longer just a hospital—it is a lifeline.
Through the construction of the NBU, operationalization of a modern maternity unit, and strengthening of WASH services, CMMB has not only improved infrastructure. It has restored confidence, dignity, and hope.
At Ikanga, every cry of a newborn is no longer a question of survival. It is a promise of life.
