The quest to improve maternal and child health outcomes in Baringo has received a shot in the arm after a local NGO donated essential midwifery equipment.
The LWALA Community Alliance on Tuesday delivered a consignment of the life-saving equipment donated to the Baringo County Department of Health to support maternal and child health in over 100 health facilities across the county.
Speaking during the handing over of the equipment outside Governor Benjamin Cheboi’s office in Kabarnet town, Chief Executive officer (CEO) for LWALA Julius Mbeya said they are partnering with the county administration in improving maternal and child health outcomes following past challenges of high maternal deaths.
He stated that the equipment will advance the quality of care during pregnancy and child delivery and, in turn, bring down the 90 per 100,000 maternal deaths in the county as recorded in the 2019 statistics.
“A lot needs to be done because one life lost to delivery is too many,” said Mbeya.
The CEO highlighted other interventions they are doing in the county, including training of health committees and community health promoters in order to better manage emergencies and save lives.
Mbeya added that they have deployed 200 pneumatic anti-shock garments to 104 health facilities across the county to manage safe maternal deliveries.
Head of the Division of Reproductive Maternal Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) Dr. Edward Serem called for deliberate action to address maternal and newborn deaths in the vast county.
Serem, who witnessed the handing over, called on all women across the county to ensure they attend antenatal clinics at health facilities, which now have lifesaving equipment and qualified healthcare workers.
Governor Cheboi lauded the LWALA team for the noble initiative, saying it will complement their efforts towards zero maternal deaths across all the health facilities within the region.
The Baringo governor said his administration is in the process of sorting the challenges arising from lack of technical staff in all the health facilities across the county in order to bridge the gap.
Cheboi said the county has established at least a level four hospital in each of the seven sub-counties to bring healthcare services closer to the people.
By Benson Kelio and Christopher Kiprop
