Kuboresha Afya Mitaani: Urban MNCH Project

Kuboresha Afya Mitaani project (KAM), also known as the Urban MNCH Project, is using implementation research to better understand and improve maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) outcomes for women and children living in the informal settlements of Kawangware and Mathare North in Nairobi, Kenya.

In addition to strengthening approaches that will increase demand generation and delivery of quality MNCH services, KAM will also explore ways to improve the linkages between facilities and the city's regulatory system to improve high-quality, live-saving services in both public and private health facilities.

The project will explore a 'quality ecosystem' model to improve health in the informal settlements by integrating typically siloed actors in the quality of care space in Nairobi, including women and families, communities, facilities, health providers, health regulators and actors in WASH and air pollution.

This work is not only intended to improve outcomes for almost 60,000 of Nairobi s most vulnerable women and children, but it will also use real-time learning to plan and catalyze a sustainable approach across Kenya s largest city, working in partnership with key public and private sector stakeholders that can inform efforts in other African urban contexts.

It will provide a template for African cities to understand how to build successful programs to address the unique challenges of MNCH in informal settlements.