Kenya has made significant progress in improving breastfeeding practices, with exclusive breastfeeding rates increasing from 13% in 2003 to 60% in 2022. This achievement surpasses global targets, placing Kenya ahead of the World Health Assembly’s 2025 goal of 50% and the 2023 global average of 48%. This success is the result of targeted maternal and child health interventions that have made a considerable impact.
However, despite this progress, breastfeeding rates have stagnated since 2014. To address this challenge, the Ministry of Health is focusing on revitalizing efforts through the adaptation of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) to the local context. The initiative, aimed at promoting, protecting, and supporting breastfeeding, will be complemented by updated training materials for health workers to improve breastfeeding practices.
The government has invested in a comprehensive set of maternal, infant, and young child interventions, which include breastfeeding counseling in health facilities, the implementation of the WHO’s Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, a community-based initiative, and enforcement of the Breast Milk Substitutes (Regulation and Control) Act of 2012. These efforts highlight the government’s commitment to ensuring that breastfeeding is recognized as a critical foundation for child survival, health, and development.
In recent years, a renewed push has been made to further promote breastfeeding. This includes training programs for health workers, such as the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative training held in Nakuru County in May 2024. During the training, health workers from various counties were educated on how to support breastfeeding and address common challenges, such as the use of breast milk substitutes.
One success story from Nakuru County highlights the positive impact of this initiative. Susan Chepkemoi, a mother of quadruplets born prematurely in December 2024, was supported by health workers to initiate breastfeeding while overcoming difficulties. Despite her initial disbelief, she successfully breastfed all four babies, even producing enough milk to store for later use. The hospital’s ongoing support, including visits from community health promoters, has been crucial in helping Chepkemoi maintain breastfeeding after her discharge.
WHO recommends that breastfeeding be initiated within the first hour of birth, and that mothers exclusively breastfeed for the first six months of life. The benefits of breastfeeding include providing essential nutrition for physical and brain development, as well as boosting immunity against infections and chronic diseases. In Kenya, 60% of newborns are breastfed within the first hour and exclusively breastfed for the first six months.
Kenya is also one of the first countries in Africa to legislate clear guidelines on breast milk substitutes through the Breast Milk Substitutes (Regulation and Control) Act of 2012. Additionally, 90% of births in Kenya are attended by skilled health workers, providing a significant opportunity to promote breastfeeding further.
Before the implementation of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, many health workers doubted that babies could survive on breast milk alone. However, through training and education, attitudes have changed. The Nakuru County Referral and Teaching Hospital, for example, has adopted the initiative to ensure that mothers receive the support they need to exclusively breastfeed their newborns. The hospital has also worked to eliminate practices that discouraged breastfeeding, such as the unnecessary prescription of infant formula.
Between August 2024 and February 2025, early initiation of breastfeeding at Nakuru County Referral and Teaching Hospital increased from approximately 42% to 75%. This positive change reflects the collective efforts of health workers and hospital staff to ensure that mothers and babies benefit from optimal nutrition from the very start.
The impact of these efforts is also visible among mothers, such as 19-year-old Anne Kerubo, who recently gave birth at the hospital. She was educated on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, which she believes will help protect her baby from common illnesses such as diarrhea and pneumonia. The training has not only empowered mothers but also boosted the morale of health workers, who take pride in seeing the positive outcomes of their efforts.
