Homa Bay County has partnered with M-Pesa Foundation and AMREF Health Africa in the construction of a 150 million maternity wing at Ndhiwa Sub County Hospital.
The project is part of a two-year program dubbed Uzazi Salama that aims at improving access to quality healthcare for women and children under the age of five years in Ndhiwa and Suba Sub Counties in a bid to reduce mortality rate in these regions.
Speaking during the foundation stone-laying ceremony at Ndhiwa Sub County Hospital, M-Pesa Foundation Executive Director Les Baille said that poor access to healthcare facilities and lack of medical equipment is a major contributor to the high maternal deaths in the County standing at 119 deaths in every 1,000 live births.
“Health is one of the key interests of M-Pesa Foundation particularly maternal healthcare since every mother and child deserve an equal chance of survival during childbirth. We believe that through this project we will increase the number of hospital-based deliveries which in turn will improve the quality of health of mothers and children in Homa Bay,” said Baille.
He further disclosed that they had implemented the program in Samburu County since 2015 which has yielded great results, adding that they expect the same in Homa Bay.
He explained the importance of Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) while encouraging the residents to play their part in ensuring the success of the project.
“Without the help of CHVs in sensitization of mothers within the community on the importance of hospital deliveries, the project will have no essence,” concluded Baille.
On his part, Homa Bay County Governor Cyprian Awiti was hopeful that the project would help in curbing the mortality rate of mothers and infants as well as improving the quality of healthcare especially as the county is battling teenage pregnancies.
“I am very pleased with the project and hopeful that Homa Bay will also experience the success that is now being witnessed in Samburu County as far as the health of women and children are concerned,” said Awiti.
Other partners involved in the project include PharmAccess Africa, Action Aid, and Pathfinder International.
By Omar Zabbibah and Sitna Omar
