Turkana County is planning to roll out universal healthcare program, specifically for the region in the coming months, with support from partners in the health sector.
Area governor Josphat Nanok says the county had drawn valuable lessons from similar programmes in Laikipia, Kajiado and Makueni counties.
Nanok said that the country was bracing for food shortages after failure of rains in most parts of the country including certain regions in Rift Valley that are considered to be Kenya’s food baskets.
However, he assured that besides provision of relief food, health centres in the county were equipped to carry out mass nutrition surveys to monitor malnutrition rates and advise on interventions.
The Governor credited the partnership with the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar which also partners with Trocaire for collaboration in health programmes, joint investment to developing water supply and in the education sector.
Speaking when the Acting Irish Ambassador to Kenya Lisa Doherty paid him a courtesy call, the governor called for further support from Trocaire to build the capacity of civil society organizations in Turkana, which he said had shown weakness in advocacy especially in addressing conflicts in the extractives sector.
Trócaire Kenya Country Director Eithne Brennan said the organisation was looking to increase its presence in Turkana and was seeking more partners to widen the scope of support.
Senior Government officials in the meeting were County Secretary Peter Eripete, County executives Robert Lotelengo (Finance and Economic Planning) and Esther Lokwei (Public Service and Disaster Management), Chief of Staff EkuwomNakiporo and Culture and Heritage Advisor Boniface Korobe.
By Peter Gitonga
