Makueni County Governor’s wife, Anita Mutula, has appealed to the government and partners to increase funding to support preventive health care programmes to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in the county.
Mrs. Mutula said the funding will support preventive health care, reproductive, maternal, and neonatal care programmes that focus on optimal nutrition for infants and young children under five years.
“I appeal to the county leadership and partners who are represented here to increase funding for these preventive programmes. We have a golden opportunity to work together as religious leaders, stakeholders, health care professionals, and community and non-governmental organisations as we have a common goal of reducing maternal and neonatal mortality in the county,” she said.
Mrs. Mutula made the remarks at a hotel in Wote last evening, where she was crowned champion of primary reproductive health care programmes.
She was crowned by the Kenya Paediatric Association Research Consortium (KEPRECON) and the Ministry of Health with the support of the Melinda Gates Foundation to champion evidence-based advocacy in reproductive, maternal, newborn, and adolescent health and nutrition in Makueni.
“I will endeavour to enhance evidence-based advocacy for primary health care and reproductive, neonatal, and child nutrition for all residents of Makueni County,” she posed.
Consequently, she said there was a need to integrate immunisation programmes for children to enhance the prevention of vaccine-preventable illnesses affecting children under the age of five.
During the event, she attributed poor maternal and birth outcomes to inadequate maternal nutrition before pregnancy, conception during pregnancy, and after delivery.
She added that there are about 30,375 children under five years old in the county who will never realise their full potential in life due to stunted growth.
“Three in every 10 children meet the minimum acceptable diet, and only 22.6% are consuming egg- and meat-based nutrient-rich diets,” she added.
The crowning was witnessed by, among others, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. and Makueni County Assembly Speaker Douglas Mbilu.
By Ronald Rono and Patrick Nyakundi
