NAIROBI, Kenya — President William Ruto has revealed that he and First Lady Rachel Ruto lost their first-born son, sharing the deeply personal experience as he called for urgent action to reduce maternal and newborn deaths in Kenya.
Speaking during the National Prayer Breakfast in Nairobi on Thursday, the President said the tragedy continues to shape his commitment to improving healthcare access and strengthening maternal and child health services across the country.
“Mothers are losing their lives during childbirth and newborns continue to die. This experience is personal to me,” Ruto said.
“Mama Rachel and I lost our first-born son; it’s not something that is far-fetched, it is not something that is a story, it is a reality that we live through every day.”
The Head of State said the loss remains one of the most painful experiences in his life and underscored the importance of ensuring that no family suffers preventable maternal or newborn deaths due to inadequate healthcare.
Ruto linked his personal experience to the government’s ongoing efforts to reform the healthcare sector and expand access to quality medical services through Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
According to the President, maternal and newborn mortality remains one of the country’s most pressing public health challenges despite progress made in expanding healthcare services.
Ruto also recounted a conversation he had with a woman during a visit to New York last year, saying her remarks highlighted the urgency of addressing maternal and child mortality in Kenya.
“I remember an incident when I was in New York last year, and a lady walked to me and told me, ‘Mr President, women and children are dying in your country,’” he said.
The President said the exchange left him deeply embarrassed and reminded him of the personal loss his family endured.
According to Ruto, the woman questioned why Kenya continued to record maternal and newborn deaths despite being regarded as one of Africa’s more progressive nations.
“She told me that Kenya is a very progressive country and it is shameful that mothers continue to lose lives when they are giving birth and newborns continue to die,” he said.
The President used the occasion to defend his administration’s healthcare reforms, arguing that access to quality healthcare should be a constitutional right rather than a privilege determined by income or employment status.
“Health, as I have always said, cannot continue to be a privilege for those who can afford, those who have jobs or those who have money,” Ruto said.
“Health must be, as it is in the Constitution, a right for every citizen of the Republic of Kenya, irrespective of who they are, where they come from, or their socioeconomic status.”
He said this principle remains the driving force behind the government’s efforts to implement Universal Health Coverage and improve healthcare outcomes nationwide.
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Ruto urged national and county governments, healthcare providers, and development partners to strengthen interventions aimed at protecting mothers and newborns, particularly in underserved areas where access to healthcare remains limited.
He reiterated that reducing preventable maternal and infant deaths would remain a key priority of his administration, noting that every Kenyan deserves access to safe, affordable, and quality healthcare services.
The remarks come amid ongoing government efforts to expand healthcare financing, improve health infrastructure, and increase access to essential maternal and child health services across the country.
