The goalof the Essential Health Services (EHS) programme is to contribute to achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Kenya – in particular a reduction in infant and maternal mortality.

The leadership and technical capacity of the Ministries of Health continues to be strengthened with support from EHS that is transparent, integrated, flexible and strategic, supporting a transition to a SWAp (Sector Wide Approach). The relationships between EHS staff and their counterparts at the central, provincial, district and community levels are a key element in the success of the programme.

Other noted successes include:

• scaling up and expanding activities
• improved working relationships
• improvement in clinical skills and confidence as a result of training
• community units better informing women and their families

Some technical recommendations include:

• the most successful interventions should be analysed so that best-practice can be replicated
• Maternal Death Reviews should continue to expand and improve
• routine review of all “near misses”/complications, stillbirths and neonatal deaths should be made a requirement at all facilities
• increased incentives for community health workers
• development of concrete IEC (Information, Education and Communication) strategies