Expanding Access to Maternal Healthcare in Kenya with the Impact-Linked Fund for Eastern and Southern Africa (ILF ESA)

22 JAN 2025

The Challenge

Sub-Saharan Africa faces some of the most severe health challenges globally, particularly in maternal and newborn care. Kenya alone reports a maternal mortality rate of 594 deaths per 100,000 live births—with almost a fifth of these deaths considered with access to affordable, high-quality care.

 

Despite strides in improving physical access to healthcare providers, affordability and quality remain significant barriers, leaving low-income families to rely on underfunded public facilities. The result? Poor health outcomes, including preventable complications during childbirth.

Jacaranda Maternity: A Proven Solution

Jacaranda Maternity offers a lifeline. With a specialized focus on maternal and newborn care, this network of hospitals in Nairobi’s peri-urban areas delivers:

  • Affordable Services: costing just 25% of that at high-end private hospitals.
  • High Quality Care: reporting 66% fewer delivery complications than nearby facilities.
  • Comprehensive Services: Ensuring that women complete the full maternal care continuum, from antenatal to postnatal care.

 

Each year, Jacaranda conducts over 2,500 deliveries and 170,000 inpatient and outpatient visits, improving health outcomes for low-to-middle-income women.

 

Scaling Impact with ILF ESA

In December, iGravity, through the Impact-Linked Fund for Eastern and Southern Africa (ILF ESA) Resilience funding window and with support from the Swiss Re Foundation, disbursed an impact-linked loan to Jacaranda. This funding bridges a critical gap, allowing the launch of a fifth hospital. This expansion aligns financial sustainability with social impact, enabling Jacaranda to:

  • Scale its asset-light hospital model.
  • Serve more patients.
  • Demonstrate financial sustainability to attract further investment.

Why It Matters

Jacaranda’s approach is a testament to the power of innovative finance in addressing global challenges. Their model supports Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being, by ensuring that all women—regardless of income—have access to life-saving maternal care.

 

A Shared Vision for the Future

By 2030, Jacaranda aims to operate 15 facilities, conducting 25,000 deliveries and 400,000 patient visits annually. This vision exemplifies how partnerships between innovative enterprises and mission-aligned funding can drive systemic change.

 

At iGravity, we remain committed to managing funds like ILF ESA to create meaningful, measurable impact.

 

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