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Kajiado seeks to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity
Dr Faith Masenge inspects a modern 24-bed maternity wing awaiting commissioning at Ngong Sub County Hospital on February 15, 2024.
Kajiado County government has put in place a series of measures to make motherhood safe and reduce mother-child mortality during childbirth.
In the 2023-2024 budget, the Health Department was allocated Sh462 million for development. To reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, the devolved unit has installed modern theatre-ray and ultrasound machines worth Sh1 million among other health equipment in Ong'ata Rongai and Ngong town sub-county hospitals. The two hospitals serve at least half a million people in the satellite towns of the vast county.
A Nation spot check at both facilities on Wednesday revealed a high influx of patients seeking various medical services. The post-natal and maternity wards were full.
Ms Harriet Mugehera, 36, told Nation that expectant mothers had breathed a sigh of relief with the new theatre and the Linda Mama programme, a government-funded health programme that ensures pregnant women and infants have access to quality and affordable health services.
"Previously, expectant mothers with complications were referred to either Kenyatta National Hospital or Mbagathi for caesarean section. A fraction of them and their unborn babies could have died. Having a theatre nearby is a huge relief," said Ms Mugehera.
Ms Edah Racho, the Ongata Rongai officer in charge, told the Nation that a surgeon was posted to the hospital in November 2023 and maternal care and general services have improved tremendously. According to Ong'ata Rongai hospital records, an average of 144 surgeries are performed monthly.
"On average, we have four caesarean cases in a day, three obstetrics and gynaecology cases in a week and three general surgeries in a week. The theatre has reduced maternal and infant mortality to almost zero," said Ms Racho.
Mr Nathaniel Kiprono - the Nursing Officer in charge - said the hospital has seen an average of 600 in-patients and 15,000 out-patients a month. Only a few patients now travel to neighbouring Nairobi, Kiambu and Machakos counties for treatment.
At Ngong Sub County Hospital, an ultra-modern 24-bed maternity wing has been completed under a private-public partnership (PPP) and is awaiting commissioning. The facility, which will also cater for people with disabilities, has been equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including two modern theatres.
"This will be the most modern public maternity ward in the Nairobi Metropolitan Region. This maternity wing will be a pacesetter for safe motherhood in the region," said Dr Faith Masenge, who is in charge of the Ngong facility.
In December 2023, Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku launched a new round of Universal Health Coverage in rural communities in Maasai land.
The governor deployed 2,100 volunteers in all 25 wards to comb rural villages to enroll families in the health insurance scheme, called Mbuzi Moja, Afya Bora.
The community health promoters have been tasked with enrolling all elderly people above the age of 65 for free insurance, which the county government has partnered with the National Hospital Insurance Fund.
Volunteers get a monthly stipend to enable them to carry out the exercise. Launched in Kajiado in 2018, the Mbuzi Moja, Afya Bora initiative has so far enrolled 25,500 households in the scheme.