Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. and Vitamin Angels Founder Howard Schiffer on Thursday flagged off 7,200 bottles of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS), each containing 180 tablets to be distributed to several health facilities across the county under a pilot programme.
Among the health facilities that benefitted include Makueni County Referral Hospital, Matiliku, Makindu, Kibwezi, Sultan Hamud, Kilungu and Mbooni Subcounty hospitals, Tulimani, Ngwata, Kathyaka and Kathozweni health centres, and Mwaani and Malili dispensaries respectively.
The health facilities will continue to get the supply of the supplements for the next four years. The county intends to supply to the other health facilities in due course.
Makueni has become the first county in the country to pilot the MMMs supplement programme which is supported by a consortium comprising Vitamin Angels, International Development Enterprise (IDE) and Hellen Keller International respectively.
Speaking during the flag off at Makueni Mother and Child Hospital, the Vitamin Angels Founder Mr. Schiffer lauded Makueni county for prioritizing the welfare of vulnerable women that lack the economic means to adequately address nutrition challenges.
“Today the governor, the health care system, the doctors, health workers and the community workers are all standing together and saying, we are going to be the voice for these women who really do not have a voice and economic well-being that many of us have,” said Schiffer while addressing medics and wananchi during the fagging off.
“We are going to make sure their children have a chance and a healthy life and a bright future. You need to stand with us and bet for these women that their children deserve a chance for a healthy life,” he added.
On her part, the Vitamin Angels Africa Technical Director Dr. Lucy Kanya said the programme will contribute to reduction in preterm births, cases of babies being born underweight, and improve the overall health of mothers and children saying it is an investment with generational impact.
Consequently, Dr. Kanya also described the intervention as an equaliser and a global solution in addressing maternal anaemia in the county.
“The move the county has taken, is an equaliser and a global solution in addressing maternal anaemia. This initiative will contribute to a reduction in preterm births, cases of babies born underweight and improve overall health of mothers,” said Dr. Kanya.
“This is a monumental transformation, an investment that will bring about generational impact,” she added.
Addressing the same event, Governor Mutula acknowledged that many residents rely on public hospitals for health care services and said that it is the responsibility of leaders to provide solutions that will benefit the public directly.
In this regard, he affirmed his administration’s commitment to roll out interventions aimed at addressing critical health care challenges facing wananchi in the county.
Further, the governor lamented that mothers endure unimaginable pain while caring for premature babies in hospitals saying the introduction of the supplements would help address prematurity and other complications associated with preterm births.
“Now the burden of families and expectant mothers receiving the supplements are likely to deliver healthier babies, reducing the cost of treatment for malnourished children.
“Teenage mothers who are among the group that is affected by preterm deliveries, also stand to benefit from the interventions,” Mutula added.
During the event, the governor also disclosed that medics can now treat excessive bleeding which occurs among women especially after delivery besides addressing the issue of children born with a lot of fluid in the brain.
“Medics in the county can now address life-threatening conditions in the county. They can use heat-stable carbetocin medication to prevent excessive bleeding among women after delivery. Also, hydrocephalus, a condition where babies have excessive fluid in the brain,” posed the governor.
“We no longer seek treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital. We have established a specialised clinic at the county and employed neurosurgeons, treatment is now available in Makueni,” he noted.
Mutula said his administration remains committed to improving healthcare services and pledged to continue working with development partners to advance the county’s development agenda.
By Patrick Nyakundi and Felister Ndinda
