Nairobi — Sitting MPs intending to defend their seats in 2012 might be required to give voters a scorecard on reproductive health policies during their terms.

African Population and Health Research Centre (Aphrc), a local non-governmental organisation, is proposing that candidates in the next General Election be required to account for health-related issues or Bills they formulated or discussed.

Currently, 40 women die daily from pregnancy-related causes, a situation that needs to be urgently addressed by MPs if Kenya is to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

"None of them should be back in office until they outline their achievements," said Aphrc head of policy engagement Charles Okigbo.

According to recent statistics, more than 300,000 women in Kenya procure abortions every year.

"The MPs hold the key to most, if not all, of the country's health system and policies that can improve Kenya's ailing health facilities," said Ms Rose Oronje, Aphrc communications officer.

The evaluation, the researchers said, would be based on the MPs' commitment to discussing health-related Bills and participating in advocacy campaigns during their tenure.

United Nations member states adopted eight MDGs in 2000, setting the year 2015 as the target for attaining them. Three of them are health-related.

Goal Four involves reducing child mortality; Goal Five is intended to improve maternal health; and Goal Six is aimed at combating HIV and Aids, malaria and other diseases.

According to Ms Oronje, the MPs should be questioned because they largely make laws. "Most voters are women, thus they remain accountable to them," she said.

The researchers approached MPs who were keen to promote reproductive issues and recognised them as 'health champions'.

The MPs took part in awareness workshops aimed at drafting policies that would later be debated in Parliament.