IMNHC 2026: Financing Gaps Threaten Africa’s Mothers, Newborns, Experts Warn in Nairobi

Nairobi played host Tuesday to a pivotal dialogue on maternal and newborn health, as global leaders, policymakers, and civil society gathered to address urgent gaps in advocacy, accountability, and financing.  

The side event, “Shaping the Future of MNCH Policy and Health Financing for Healthier Mothers and Newborns”, formed part of the International Maternal Newborn Health Conference (IMNHC) 2026 at the EDGE Convention Centre. Organised by the SMART Advocacy for Strategic Action (SASA) Alliance in collaboration with a coalition of partners, the meeting brought together legislators, donors, researchers, and media to explore practical pathways towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  

Partners included SAMASHA Medical Foundation, HENNET, RHNK, ICRH, NCPD, JHPIEGO Kenya, Pathfinder International Nigeria, and PPD Africa Regional Office, among others.  

While the IMNHC has long provided a platform for evidence‑based solutions and strengthened partnerships, the Nairobi dialogue underscored sobering realities. Progress remains uneven, financing gaps persist, and fragile accountability systems continue to undermine momentum, raising concerns about the continent’s ability to meet global health targets for mothers and newborns.

“With financing pressures rising across the region, we must rethink how advocacy drives results ensuring that limited resources are used more strategically, partnerships are strengthened, and country‑led priorities remain at the centre of MNCH investments,” declared Sally Njiri, Regional Project Director of the SASA Project. Her words captured the urgency of the moment, as shrinking resources threaten to stall hard‑won gains.  

The dialogue spotlighted experiences from Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ethiopia, offering a rare cross‑country lens on advocacy and financing priorities. Through keynote addresses, panel discussions, and interactive exchanges, participants explored innovative approaches to domestic resource mobilisation, budget accountability, and policy reform.  

Patrick Mugirwa, Acting Regional Director and Programme Manager at PPD ARO, warned of the fragility of the advocacy ecosystem. “The advocacy ecosystem for FP and MNCH is still fragile. Frequent changes in government, emerging and competing priorities, and dwindling resources make it critical to sustain advocacy efforts ensuring that hard‑won gains are not only maintained but built upon to accelerate progress,” he said.  

The event did not shy away from confronting uncomfortable truths. For many African countries, advancing maternal and newborn outcomes requires more than increased funding. It demands stronger accountability systems and unwavering political will. “For some African countries, advancing MNCH outcomes requires not only increased funding, but also stronger accountability systems and sustained political will to ensure that resources translate into quality services for women and children,” emphasised Dr Amina Dorayi, Regional Portfolio Director for West and Central Africa at Pathfinder International. “We must continue to align advocacy, policy, and financing efforts to protect gains and accelerate progress toward equitable health outcomes.”  

By convening diverse voices across sectors and geographies, the Nairobi dialogue sought to transform rhetoric into action. Organisers stressed that the session would deliver clear country‑led priorities, shared lessons, and concrete recommendations to inform post‑conference advocacy and investment strategies. The ultimate goal: to ensure that policy reforms, financing commitments, and advocacy efforts translate into tangible improvements in maternal and newborn survival.  

The stakes could not be higher. With the 2030 global health targets looming, the conference highlighted the peril of complacency. Without decisive action, thousands of mothers and newborns across Africa risk being left behind. Yet the dialogue also offered hope — a recognition that through collaboration, innovation, and sustained political will, Africa can not only protect but accelerate progress.  

As the IMNHC 2026 continues, the Nairobi side event stands is a call for maternal and newborn health to remain at the forefront of Africa’s development agenda. Failure to achieve thus would be a betrayal of the continent’s mothers and children, whose survival and wellbeing are the very foundation of its future.