Introducing Kenya’s first county-led Safer Births Bundle of Care training
This week, Makueni County Referral Hospital marks a milestone in Kenyan healthcare. The hospital is hosting the country’s very first facility-based training for the Safer Births Bundle of Care (SBBC), an evidence-based program that combines simulation training, innovative clinical tools, and continuous quality improvement to reduce maternal and newborn deaths.
The landmark training was spearheaded by the Governor of Makueni County following a meeting with Laerdal Global Health CEO Karoline Linde earlier this year. The first training included six SBBC champions, three doctors, and three midwives who completed SimBegin Level 1 training at Haydom Lutheran Hospital in Tanzania. Returning to Kenya, the team integrated NeoNatalie Live practice and weekly simulation scenarios into their daily routine. Today, that momentum has resulted in a locally driven, facility-based rollout funded directly by the Makueni County Government.
Strong local ownership from day one
To secure long-term buy-in and build deep local ownership, county leadership opened the training with a broad group of key stakeholders. Alongside hospital staff, consultant obstetricians, pediatricians, and emergency obstetric and newborn care trainers actively participated in the training, building strong local ownership right from the start.
The initiative has drawn strong support from senior government officials. High-level attendees included the Director of Human Resources from the Makueni County Government, the CEO of the Makueni County Public Service Board, and representatives from the Ministry of Health's Division of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH).
From simulation to hands-on clinical guidance
Throughout the week, participants completed an intensive program designed for lasting impact. The schedule combined theoretical learning and interactive simulation sessions with practical, hands-on guidance directly where mothers and newborns receive care.
The week concluded with debriefing discussions on how to use clinical and training data for continuous quality improvement. This data-driven focus ensures that learning does not end when the training sessions finish but continues to inform daily clinical practice.
A model for cross-border collaboration and scale
The ongoing work in Makueni highlights the power of regional learning and knowledge sharing between healthcare teams. Showcasing a successful collaboration between Laerdal Global Health Tanzania, Haydom Lutheran Hospital, and the Makueni County team.
By investing its own resources to fund equipment, facility-based training, and mentorship, Makueni County is positioning itself as a pioneer for maternal and newborn care in Kenya. This week’s training demonstrates how local commitment and evidence-based simulation can strengthen health workforce capacity, ensuring that healthcare workers have the skills and confidence to save lives when every second counts.
This train-the-trainer approach ensures that lifesaving practices reach every healthcare provider. Every mother and every baby deserve the highest standard of care.
Scaling impact across Makueni County
The initiative has gained strong support from Ms. Joyce Mutua, Executive Committee Member for Health Services in Makueni County, who highlighted the long-term potential of bringing simulation-based learning into the local health system.
Over time, it will become embedded in how we think, how we work, and how we deliver care. It is a commitment to a culture where every maternal and newborn death is viewed as preventable and every healthcare provider is empowered to act.
Looking ahead, county leadership is dedicated to expanding the reach of the program to ensure the highest standard of care for every mother and baby.
We are committed to investing in this program, including training healthcare workers and equipping facilities with simulators and other essential tools. Our vision is to scale the Safer Births Bundle of Care to more facilities across Makueni County and strengthen the quality of care at every level of the health system.
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