Maternal health in peril after US orders burning of medical supplies

The freeze on US medical aid has significantly impacted maternal and child health in Kenya and around the world.

Kenya, which was among the countries that were set to receive drugs now marked for incineration following a decision by the US government, faces a major setback.

The US plans to destroy contraceptives worth $9.7 million (Sh1.2 billion) — supplies that are vital to reproductive health services.

Experts warn that the destruction of these supplies, tied to policies enacted by US President Donald Trump’s administration, could severely undermine maternal and child health interventions.

Health professionals are now urging the Kenyan government to intervene and allocate adequate resources to safeguard maternal and child health services.

This crisis unfolds as Kenya continues to lose at least 21 women daily during childbirth, with at least 10 of those deaths attributed to postpartum haemorrhage (excessive bleeding).

“All maternal health services have been affected,” said Anne-Beatrice Kihara, president of the International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

She added, “One would have to begin to consider alternative methods of procurement through pooled financing. We have to fully rethink our approach.”

Excessive bleeding remains the leading cause of maternal death in Kenya, contributing to 10 of the 21 daily deaths.

Carbetocin is a uterotonic drug recommended for postpartum haemorrhage (PPH).

The drug does not require cold-chain transportation and storage, making it effective — particularly in remote areas with poor power connectivity.

Kenya Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society (KOGS) president, Kireki Omanwa, explained that the heat-stable carbetocin used in Kenya is highly accessible because it is heavily subsidised.

The drugs are supplied to the country through subsidies — a move that has significantly saved women’s lives at birth.

“Heat-stable carbetocin is highly subsidised. We have it available because of donor support,” said Dr Kireki.

At present, Kenya is also experiencing a shortage of obstetric drapes.

The drapes are used in maternity rooms to measure the amount of blood a mother loses during birth.

Determining blood loss volume helps doctors decide whether a woman needs a blood transfusion.

Excessive bleeding is defined as the loss of more than 500 millilitres of blood during vaginal birth, and more than 1,000 millilitres during a Caesarean section.

“Healthcare providers are now forced to estimate blood loss using their hands when managing excessive bleeding,” said Kireki.

As a solution, KOGS is working closely with the Clinton Health Initiative to have the drapes supplied through the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority. Kenya’s maternal mortality rate stands at 355 deaths per 100,000 live births.

“Mothers are rarely dying in developed countries—even 10 deaths per 100,000 live births is considered high. Yet in Africa, the rate ranges between 300 and 600, and in some countries, it exceeds 1,000 per 100,000,” said Prof Kihara.

Funding gaps have been evident since the US government ceased funding United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“USAID was one of the biggest donors. The withdrawal of financial assistance has had and will continue to have a major impact on health services,” Kireki lamented.

Other donor-supported programmes that have been affected include HIV/Aids, malaria, family planning, and vaccinations.

Kireki described the destruction of contraceptives as unfortunate, especially at a time when Kenya and other African countries desperately need these commodities.

“If they cannot be donated to Kenya, they should be given to other countries that need them,” he observed.

According to the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), more than 1.4 million girls in Africa have been left without contraceptives.

IPPF regretted that its local partners in Africa will now face increased challenges in delivering essential and life-saving care.

In a statement, IPPF noted that the contraceptives are set to be incinerated in France.

At least 77 per cent of the supplies were earmarked for five countries in the Africa region — Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and Mali.

Several of these countries are already experiencing severe stock-outs.

“The incineration of these contraceptives will deny more than 1.4 million women and girls access to life-saving care. Rather than reaching the communities who need them most, these essential medical supplies — many of which don’t expire until 2027 to 2029—are being needlessly and egregiously destroyed,” noted IPPF.

IPPF member states were due to receive a share of the contraceptives stock.

Nelly Munyasia, Executive Director for the Reproductive Health Network in Kenya (a IPPF member association), said the impact is already being felt.

“In Kenya, the effects of US funding disruptions are already evident. The funding freeze has caused stock-outs of contraceptives, leaving facilities with less than five months’ supply instead of the required 15 months,” said Munyasia.

“Additionally, Kenya is experiencing reduced capacity-building for health workers, disrupted digital logistics and health information systems, and a 46 per cent funding gap in the national family planning programme.”

In Kenya, nearly one in five girls aged 15 to 19 is pregnant or has given birth.

Unsafe abortions also remain among the top five causes of maternal deaths in the country, Munyasia noted.

Sarah Durocher, president of Le Planning Familial (IPPF’s French member association), urged the French government not to destroy the contraceptives.

“We call on the French government to act urgently to prevent the destruction of USAID-funded contraceptives. It is unacceptable that France — a country that champions feminist diplomacy —has remained silent, while others, like Belgium, have stepped in to engage with the US government. In the face of this injustice, solidarity with those relying on these life-saving supplies is not optional: it is a moral imperative.”

More than 40 per cent of the contraceptives stockpiled in Brussels were allocated for shipment to Tanzania alone. The contraceptives were already packaged and ready for distribution.

IPPF offered to take them for redistribution at no cost to the US taxpayer, but the offer was declined.

The actions of the US administration show that politics is being prioritised over economics, given the additional costs of transporting, storing, and incinerating the products, the statement added.

“This decision to destroy ready-to-use commodities is appalling and extremely wasteful. These life-saving medical supplies were destined for countries where access to reproductive care is already limited — and in some cases, part of a broader humanitarian response, such as in the DRC. The choice to incinerate them is unjustifiable and undermines efforts to protect the health and rights of women and girls,” said Marie-Evelyne Petrus-Barry, Africa Regional Director of IPPF.

Experts are now rallying support for domestic funding to sustain healthcare.

“We need to take ownership and leadership in addressing our programmes. This should push us to start thinking about domesticating our finances—whether through taxation, performance-based care, or promoting preventive and promotive health within our limited resources,” added Kihara.

Additionally, the experts emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships and the adoption of new technologies amid shrinking donor support.