Kenyan doctors ask government to subsidise a lung treatment that can save premature babies
A vial of surfactant costs more than Sh30,000 and is rarely covered by insurance. World Prematurity Day is on 15 November.
Nairobi — Kenyan health experts are calling on the government to subsidise surfactant, a medicine that helps premature babies breathe, because its cost puts it out of reach of many families, KBC reported.
Dr Celia Kariuki, a neonatologist at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital and a member of the Kenya Paediatric Association, spoke at a media forum ahead of World Pneumonia Day on 12 November and World Prematurity Day on 15 November.
How it works
Surfactant keeps the tiny air sacs in the lungs open. Babies born too early may not produce enough of it, putting them at risk of respiratory distress syndrome, which can be life-threatening. Replacement surfactant, given alongside treatments such as CPAP, is an established therapy.
The cost barrier
A five-millilitre vial costs more than 30,000 shillings, and the treatment is mostly available in private and level 6 facilities. It has no direct cover under most insurance packages, so families pay themselves. Dr Kariuki called for more advocacy and collaboration to make newborn care commodities available to all.
Kenya's 2025–2026 Mini Demographic and Health Survey puts neonatal mortality at 19 deaths per 1,000 live births, and under-five mortality at 37 per 1,000.
Source: KBC, 12 November 2026.
