By J, KNA
The County Government of Nakuru is modernizing and upgrading its maternity facilities to improve maternal health care access and reduce mortality rates.
The Devolved Unit has affirmed that the initiative is prioritizing single-bed occupancy for antenatal and post-natal mothers, as it actively works to establish independent boarding facilities for Newborn Unit Mothers.
County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health Services, Ms Roselyn Mungai, said the initiative is aimed at transforming maternity facilities from trauma zones to safe havens.
The upgrade has so far covered Bondeni Maternity in Nakuru City, Gilgil Maternity, Mirugi Kariuki in Nakuru-East, Rhonda in Nakuru Town West, Langalanga in Nakuru Town West and Naivasha Sub-county Hospital- which now has a new Kangaroo Mother Care Unit among others.
“We are expanding and equipping our maternity and newborn units, to create spaces that promote the provision of quality care and better serve the growing number of expectant mothers. These projects reflect a broader effort by Governor Susan Kihika’s Administration, to unlock stalled health infrastructure and turn buildings into functioning services, delivering safer births, improved referral pathways, and care,” noted Ms. Mungai.
Speaking when she inspected ongoing construction works at the new Gilgil Sub-county Hospital, Ms. Mungai indicated that the facility expected to be operational within the next six months will be equipped with a 40-bed capacity maternity wing and three delivery beds, which she added are all designed with improved space to support nursing care and patient dignity.
“Through a partnership with AMREF, the installation of the oxygen piping system is nearing completion. This is an essential step in preparing the maternity unit for safe, 24-hour maternal and newborn care. Work is also ongoing on a covered walkway connecting the maternity wing directly to the theatre, a practical upgrade that will enable seamless movement of patients and staff, especially during emergencies,” explained the CECM.
One of Kenya’s success stories in achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) three – maternal and child health- , is increased access to delivery under the care of a skilled health provider.
According to the 2022 Kenya Demographic Health Survey, the country boasted an 88 per cent skilled birth attendance rate, with 64 per cent of these occurring in a public health facility.
The CECM further indicated that after a 40 year wait, more than 60,000 of residents relying on Bondeni Maternity Hospital, can now breathe a sigh of relief after a Sh15 million theatre became operational three months ago.
Ms Mungai said the theatre initially built in 1985 remained unused for decades, as it lacked personnel and critical apparatus such as power backup systems, suction and sterilizer machines, defibrillators and anesthesia equipment.
Bondeni Maternity, now a Level Four Hospital, is one of the oldest health care facilities in Nakuru, having been built in 1952 to take care of African women living in the South of the Railway line.
“We revived the theatre as part of our broader initiative to allocate resources to projects that had stalled for many years in the Devolved Unit. Expectant mothers had to travel over three kilometers to Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital (NCTRH) for Cesarean-sections, a journey that sometimes resulted in tragedy due to delays,” stated the CECM.
Ms Mungai assured the residents that critical emergency services, will be handled at the new facility. She added that the opening of the new theatre has been accompanied by renovations and equipment procurement, allowing for life-saving surgical procedures to be performed locally.
“The theatre room has been fitted with ultra-modern equipment. Patients will be served without being referred, unless they have a distinct case that needs a specialist,” noted the CECM.
Ms Mungai further indicated that the modernization and upgrade of maternity facilities across the Devolved Unit, is aimed at decongesting the Margaret Kenyatta Mother and Baby Unit in Nakuru City, the second largest maternity hospital after Pumwani in Nairobi.
The 250-bed capacity Maternity Unit located within the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital (NCTRH), delivers approximately 1,000 babies each month and serves Nakuru, Bomet, Baringo, Narok, Kericho, Samburu, Laikipia and Nyandarua counties.
The State-of-the-Art standalone complex constructed at a cost of Sh450 million and the biggest maternity complex in the larger Rift Valley Region, was opened by former First Lady Margaret Kenyatta six years ago.
The County Government hopes that the ongoing improvement of the facilities, will help reduce infant and maternal mortality ratios and also offer affordable maternity services.
The CECM said the Devolved Unit is focusing on revamping the lower health facilities to enable them provide primary services and allow NCTRH to address complex and referral cases.
Ms Mungai conceded that the Margaret Kenyatta Mother-Baby Unit, was surging under the weight of deliveries, adding that the County is out to ensure all women were supported by sufficient facilities and skilled health providers at the Level 3 health care facilities.
“Generally, NCTRH is a referral hospital, yet many mothers opt to come directly to the Margaret Kenyatta Mother and Baby Unit, rather than first seek health care at Levels 1-4 facilities,” explained the CECM.
“The numbers of expectant mothers seeking services at Margaret Kenyatta Mother-Baby Unit continue rising yet there are a number of facilities that have been improved to offer the same high quality maternity services such as Bondeni, Mirugi, Rhonda and Langalanga hospitals,” she added:
Mungai assured residents that the Health Department was also reducing delays in receipt of care by improving urgent and emergency referral systems.
She urged women in the County to use available facilities during childbirth to reduce mortality rates, adding that they had been upgraded to standards that offer good, safe and respectful maternal services.
The CECM added that Governor Kihika’s Administration will continue to invest heavily in the building and rehabilitation of hospitals, to ensure they are capable of delivering world-class services.
“Our objectives as a County are to work in line with the Global Sustainable Development Goals, Vision 2030 and our County Integrated Development plan. Sustainable Development Goal III strives to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, including family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health for all,” she said.
“We have made a significant milestone towards achieving our vision of ending maternal and neonatal deaths in Nakuru County and we will focus on the efforts to decongest the County referral hospital to improve health services,” she added.
The County’s Mother and Baby Units at the Level III hospitals currently provide amenities, including antenatal and postnatal wards, maternity and child health clinics, laboratories, consultation rooms, specialized clinics, a delivery rooms, nurse stations, offices, kitchens and laundries.
Ms. Mungai affirmed that as the demand for services at the NTRH continues to rise, the hospital’s leadership is proactively implementing measures, to ensure that all service delivery points remain responsive and efficient.
She pledged, the County leadership and the Hospital Administration were committed to enhancing standards of care to ensure residents get good care.
Ms. Mungai underscored the County Government’s commitment to support NTRH to meet the growing needs of the community, as well as maintain high standards of care and professionalism.
The CECM expressed appreciation to the team of health workers and noted that this commitment to enhanced service delivery is driven by the dedicated efforts of the devolved unit’s clinical, administrative and support teams.
She announced that the Department of Health would continue to forge direct linkages with health facilities across all levels of care.
This approach, she noted, would help monitor service delivery and help identify replicable good practices and success stories.
“It also provides invaluable first-hand perspectives on the challenges faced in service delivery and their potential solutions across all levels of medical facilities,” stated the CECM.
She further disclosed that she had constituted a County Health Management Team (CHMT) that is tasked with reviewing the performance of all units by bringing together all unit’s heads to monitor progress of various performance indicators within their programs.
“The Department of Health managers hold monthly CHMT meetings to stay on track and ensure they meet the targets outlined in their performance contracts. Every unit head has an opportunity to provide updates on the progress of their performance indicators, while also sharing insights and strategies for continued success in the programs,” the CECM explained.
Ms Mungai noted that the analysis of data and progress reports ensures that the reviews steer the team towards a shared goal of providing quality healthcare services.
