Evaluation of Millennium Development Goals in Reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality in Narok County, Kenya

Abstract

Background: Millennium Development Goals are the 21^st Century worlds’ concern to improve human way of life by 2015. In Kenya the Millennium Development Goals for reduction of maternal and child mortality has been recently powered by the beyond zero initiative which started in the year 2014 with the aim of reducing mortality as well as contributing towards promotion of maternal health for new born and children. Maternal mortality ratio and neonatal mortality rate trends in Kenya have remained unacceptably high in a decade. In 2007, the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation adopted a community health strategy to reverse the poor health outcomes in order to meet Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5. The study aimed at evaluating the Millennium Development Goals its effectiveness reduction of maternal and child death in Kenya. Methods: The study was done in 2015; Survey design was used in this study in Narok County. The target population comprised of mothers with children below five years of age in Narok County.  Purposive random sampling was used to arrive at 150 as the accessible population. Questionnaires and interview guides were employed as data collection tools. Face validity of instruments was determined by Maasai Mara University specialist lecturers and health care workers in the clinic while reliability was tested by computing reliability coefficient. Data was analyzed with the aid of statistical package for social science (SPSS); at Maasai Mara University. Results: The study findings showed that 39% reduction of mortality rate. Statistic significant of (p<0.05) was observed. Since the start of millennium development goals there has been reduction of child mortality and also improved maternal health. In Narok the four recommended antenatal visits was realized but was still low at 50.5%. Deliveries at the hospital and clinic assisted by skilled health care workers were 44%. Testing for HIV during pregnancy 81.5%) and exclusive breastfeeding 36%). Conclusion: Increase in significance essential maternal and neonatal care practices demonstrates that, community health strategy is an appropriate platform to deliver community based interventions. The findings will be used by actors in the child survival community to improve current approaches, policies and practice in maternal and neonatal care. Study recommends that there should be a follow up protocol in projects put forward to ensure that the Millennium Development Goals are sustained in Narok County and other areas.

Key words: Beyond Zero Campaign, Maternal and Child Mortality, Narok County, Mobile Clinics, Millennium Development Goals.