The Kiambu County Government has challenged recent figures released by the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), which alleged that 136 infants died due to maternal-related complications in the past four months.
Speaking on Thursday, October 2, 2025, Health Chief Officer Patrick Nyagah clarified that official county records indicate 53 infant deaths, broken down as 16 in May, 14 in June, 9 in July, and 14 in August.
Nyagah noted that the union’s statistics included stillbirths and cases involving infants born before the legally recognised survival threshold of 21 weeks, which, under national medical protocols, are reported separately from live births.
“When you combine all those factors, you arrive at the exaggerated numbers the union is circulating,” he explained, underscoring that the county strictly follows national health reporting standards.
The Health Chief Officer further criticised KMPDU for allegedly misleading the public and for failing to engage constructively with the county during the ongoing doctors’ strike, which has now stretched into its fourth month. He emphasised that the county government remains committed to transparency and accountability in healthcare delivery.
The dispute over infant mortality data comes at a time when the prolonged strike has significantly disrupted services in public hospitals, with maternal and child health among the most affected sectors. It also coincides with growing public pressure on the government regarding progress toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
