Kisii County dissemination meeting

The PEARLS Study team convened a dissemination meeting in Kisii County on 21st May, 2026 to share key findings from the PEARLS Cohort Phase and discuss preparations for the upcoming MATRIX implementation phase.

The meeting brought together county health leadership led by Dr. Matiko ,the Director Public Health Kisii County, healthcare providers, and key stakeholders to review progress in maternal and newborn health, particularly in the prevention and management of pre-eclampsia.

Key discussions focused on lessons learned from the cohort phase, facility readiness for MATRIX implementation, integration of innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence-enabled ultrasound and retinal imaging, and strategies to enhance early risk identification among pregnant women.

Discussions highlighted stable first antenatal care (ANC) attendance, improvements in fourth ANC coverage, and a reduction in maternal and perinatal deaths over time, demonstrating the impact of ongoing quality improvement initiatives. Stakeholders identified late ANC attendance as a persistent challenge and emphasized the need for strengthened community mobilization, continuous healthcare worker mentorship, and enhanced pre-conception care services.

 The county reaffirmed its commitment to supporting MATRIX Phase implementation, including the expansion of participating facilities such as Oresi Sub-County Hospital, as part of ongoing efforts to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes.

Special thanks to Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital(KTRH), Gucha Subcounty Hospital and Nyambene Hospital who were part of the successful story of PEARLS Cohort Phase.

The dissemination meeting was well represented by the leadership under Prof Zahida Qureshi, Prof Alfred Osoti, Dr.George Gwako, Dr.Rosa Chemwey, Dr.George Mugendi, Ms. Jenipher Okore, Mr. Mark Sigei, Ms. Teresiah Maina and Ms. Wendy Kagwima.