Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa has unveiled the Imarisha Afya Ya Mama na Mtoto program to improve maternal and child health in the county.
Speaking during the launch at Bukhungu Stadium Monday, Governor Barasa said the county will support the first enlisted 35 000 expectant mothers with stipends.
“With this program, each enlisted mother will be eligible to receive a total of Sh12000 during their antenatal and post-natal milestones. It will also ensure all our babies receive all the vaccinations required right from the polio vaccine until the second dose of measles vaccine at 18 months,” he noted.
The mother will start receiving the cash transfer funds through their mobile phone during their fourth antenatal clinic visit where they will get the first Sh2000.
They will receive another Sh2000 when they deliver in the county health care facility and another cash transfer of the same amount when they take their baby for immunization at 4 weeks after delivery.
The mother will receive Sh2000 for every immunization visit to a health facility when the baby is 6 months old, 9 months old and 18 months old.
“With this program we strive to ensure that our mothers attend all antenatal clinics during pregnancy, deliver in our hospitals with the help of skilled healthcare workers and navigate quality postnatal care after delivery,” the governor noted.
He said the enlisted expectant mothers are the neediest and the most vulnerable in the community who are encouraged through the program to accept and utilize quality services in the county health facilities at all times.
The governor said the program aims at removing financial and social barriers for the mothers as they seek health services.
He urged the expectant mothers to utilize the cash transfer funds to attend all the clinics and to feed themselves and their babies with a balanced diet that will improve their health.
“Utilize the money to ensure that the day you need to go to the hospital, you get bus fare, and also get a balanced diet and enough food for yourself and the child,” he added.
He added that the county government will also ensure that all girls above the age of 9 years get the HPV vaccine to protect them from cervical cancer.
“To this end, therefore, I direct the department of health services to ensure that this program is scaled up to 60 health facilities to cover all our 60 wards,” the governor added.
He also directed the health department to sensitize all healthcare workers including the Community Health Promoters (CHPs) on the benefit of the program so that they can communicate to all pregnant mothers across the county to get registered.
“My commitment is to ensure that all our level 4 hospitals across the county have fully equipped modern maternity wards to serve our mothers. As a county we pride ourselves in having a modern and well-structured referral system in the entire western region. On average it takes 25 minutes or less for an ambulance to respond to an emergency evacuation call at any point within our vast county,” he added.
Governor Barasa said the investment in maternal healthcare and commitment of health workers has improved skilled delivery outcomes which currently stands at 80 per cent, with full immunization coverage surpassing 82 per cent.
By Moses Wekesa
