Swedfund, Sweden's development finance institution, has committed KSh 77.6 million to Jacaranda Maternity to support the expansion of affordable maternity hospitals in Kenya, as gaps in maternal-health funding and service delivery continue to constrain access to care.
- •The investment will fund the opening of additional maternity facilities, upgrades to neonatal intensive-care services and improvements to existing hospitals, with the aim of expanding access for women in low- and middle-income communities, particularly in and around Nairobi.
- •Jacaranda Maternity provides lower-cost maternal and newborn services than most private hospitals and focuses on underserved urban populations.
- •The company plans to grow its network to six hospitals as it works toward financial sustainability while scaling its services.
“This investment will help Jacaranda Maternity provide life-saving care to more women and families while furthering Swedfund's mission to promote inclusive and sustainable healthcare,” said Audrey Obara, Senior Investment Manager at Swedfund.
The funding comes at a time when maternal and newborn outcomes in Kenya are under pressure despite improvements in skilled birth attendance. Public health facilities handle the bulk of deliveries but face capacity constraints, uneven quality of care, and persistent regional disparities in access.
According to data from the Controller of Budget, funding allocated to maternal and newborn health is not translating into actual spending. The Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) programme was allocated about KSh 6.29 billion in the current financial year but only about KSh 147 million had been spent by the end of December 2025, an absorption rate of roughly 2%.
Performance indicators also suggest weaknesses in follow-up care. Only 48% of women received post-natal care within 48 hours against a target of 78%, while maternal-health outcomes remain more constrained after delivery than during pregnancy, even as attendance at antenatal visits has improved.
