Residents of Menengai East Ward, Nakuru East Sub County, will soon have access to enhanced maternal healthcare services following the completion of the construction of the Menengai Maternity project, which aims to reduce the travel distance for expectant mothers in the area.
The area Member of County Assembly (MCA) Wilson Mwangi said the new facility was funded through the Ward Fund to a tune of Sh7 million and has an ante-natal and post-natal unit, a delivery room, a kitchen, a boardroom, and other necessary amenities. It is expected to serve a population catchment of 31,621.
The contractor handed over the maternity ward to the MCA, department of Health Officials and the jubilant members of the public. They were assured that the facility will be equipped in the next financial year, which starts in July.
However, since their inception county governments have been accused of spending more on construction of health centres at the detriment of training medical personnel, and ensuring that facilities are equipped with enough medicine.
MCA Mwangi dismissed the criticism of counties being more on mortar saying the eschewed development since independence, which denied a number of rural areas facilities, was being implemented at a much faster rate than before devolution.
Also, he said the training of medical personnel and the posting of doctor interns was still a role of the ministry of health, hence the counties cannot be blamed for the current doctor’s strike which commenced last week.
But he urged the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentist (KMPDU), Medical Schools and the Ministry of Health to synchronize the graduation of medical students with the budgetary cycle to avoid the persistent delays in posting interns.
The officer in charge of the Maternity Harun Nyangaú said proximity of health centres has changed the past sorry state of mother and childcare, and currently the mortality rate of infants and babies has almost been reduced to zero because of the short distance mothers have to walk.
By Veronica Bosibori
