Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has donated four ambulances to boost primary healthcare in the remotest parts of Kajiado county.
Speaking while receiving the ambulances, Kajiado County Executive Committee Member(CECM) for Health, Alex Kilowua appreciated the agency for the ambulances saying that they will help in curbing maternal deaths in the remotest parts of the county where access to health facilities is a challenge.
“If we look at the health indicators, one of the greatest contributors of maternal deaths is late referral systems and am very sure that leveraging on the ambulances and the toll free number we are going to help every mother that requires ambulatory services,” said Kilowua.
He added that they are going to strengthen the primary healthcare agenda by leveraging on the establishment of primary care networks and this will improve health indicators and reduce maternal deaths in the county.
The CECM revealed that they had focused on rural Kajiado hospitals since the health indicators in the urban and rural Kajiado do not add up so they are trying to bring them at par.
The rural level four hospitals that will benefit from the four ambulances are; Namelok, Ewuaso Oo Nkidong’i, Mashuuru, Ngatataek and Elang’ata Enkima.
Kilowua revealed that KOICA had promised another two ambulances that will soon be delivered to the county.
On her part, KOICA’s acting country coordinator Ms. Songi Han said that she hopes that the ambulances will save the lives of expectant mothers and their unborn children in the county and improve the county’s healthcare initiative.
Apart from the ambulances, KOICA has also partnered with Kajiado County Health department in capacity building for the health workers and provision of equipment.