Kisumu County has recorded significant milestones in access to quality healthcare services owing to the establishment of robust healthcare infrastructure in the area.
The elaborate efforts by the Lakeside County government to expand healthcare coverage have seen the number of women delivering in hospitals increase from 69 to 94 percent.
Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o in his remarks during the first State of the County address since his re-election, said his administration prioritised the establishment of new health facilities and invested in Community Health Workers (CHWs) to enhance service delivery, especially for the rural population.
“We have operationalised 280 new Community Health Centres to complement the existing 151 public health hospitals and 5 faith-based health facilities across the County,” Prof Nyong’o noted.
He further highlighted the completion of five health facilities including Ombaka Health Centre in Nyando Sub- County, Aluoch Adhier Health Centre in Nyando Sub- County, Michura Health Centre in Nyakach Sub-County, Malela Dispensary in Seme Sub-County, and Nyadado Dispensary in Seme Sub- County that were constructed in 2023.
“This financial year, the county government has set aside Sh150 million for rehabilitating one facility per ward in all the thirty-five wards which will act as our mini hubs,” he states, adding that his administration in collaboration with the Safaricom Foundation has started the construction of Ratta Mother and Child Hospital in Seme Sub-County.
Investing in community health services, he observed, has increased the frequency of visits made by CHWs to family households from 187,977 in 2022 to 206,420 in 2023.
“Through strategic collaboration with partners, our commitment to completely digitalize the Community Health System continues. Notably, 84% of Community Health Workers are now digitally empowered,” he disclosed, stressing that they have played a key role in transforming healthcare services at the grassroots.
Significantly, the interventions in the health sector have further seen the county record a 30 percent decrease in maternal mortality from 495 to 343 per 100,000 live births, while the infant mortality rate has reduced from 54 to 39 per 100,000 live births. Under-5 mortalities also decreased from 79 to 63 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the Kenya Demographic Health Survey 2022.
The county boss pointed out that the pioneer Marwa Solidarity Health Insurance program has posted remarkable outcomes since its launch in March 2021.
The health scheme curated by the county to benefit indigent locals has recorded a spike in claims made by the hospitals from Sh175 million in the financial year 2021/22 to Sh279 million in 2022/2023.
The scheme, Prof Nyong’o noted, currently covers 5409 principal indigent households and over 21,000 dependents, including spouses and children, across all the sub-counties.
To date, the healthcare facilities have recorded 38,950 clinic visits from the covered indigent population, with 1551 being inpatients and 37,400 outpatient visits since 2021.
By Robert Ojwang’
