Kakamega partners with Jacaranda Health to construct Sh50 million maternity ward

Kakamega County has started the construction of a Sh50 million maternity wing at the Matungu Sub-County hospital

The modern maternity wing project is a partnership between the county and Jacaranda Health in line with the county’s ‘Tutunze Kakamega Service Delivery Redesign (SDR) strategy.

Governor Fernandes Barasa, who commissioned the facility said the 40-bed capacity would help reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in the county.

“This is a milestone in ensuring the provision of healthcare, and it is to provide medical attention to our expectant mothers on time so that they do not go through difficulties,” said Barasa.

Barasa said the 40-bed capacity modern wing is part of his agenda of ensuring the county has good infrastructural development alongside drugs and other medical equipment for better healthcare services.

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“We are not just putting up structures, but we are also equipping our health facilities with necessary equipment such as drugs so that when our mothers and other patients visit, they can access medical services without any problem,” said Barasa adding, “My administration has procured drugs, and those who will be found stealing the drugs will be shown the door, and disciplinary action will be taken against them.”

According to the county boss, the objective of the initiative is to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 in every 100,000 live births, with 99 per cent of women living in Kakamega residing within an hour of advanced level four and level five facilities.

“Our focus, along with that of our partners, is to radically redesign how we offer better health services so that the situation does not result in tragic consequences," he said.

The initiative, which has incorporated support from players in the health sector, such as Jacaranda Health, has resulted in improved maternity wards at several hospitals in the four sub-counties across the county.

The partnership will also see service providers trained and equipped with sufficient skills to support women, improve the number of care providers, conduct a mentorship program in hospital-based skills training, and provide healthcare education to women.

Jacaranda Health Co-Executive Director Cynthia Kahbura said the project aims to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in Kakamega County from 316 in every 100,000 live births and 19 in every 1,000 live births, respectively.

This, she said will progressively meet sustainable development goal targets of 70 in every 100,000 and 12 in every 1,000 live births in five years.

“We are determined to ensure that every person, especially mothers in need of medical attention, can access quality health care at the right time and place. This means we must continue redesigning our health services to ensure community members have quick access to facilities with competent medical personnel and appropriate equipment,” said Kahbura.

Kahbura revealed that in the country, the health facilities stratification plan has placed level 2 and 3 facilities as first-choice service providers, where 30 to 40 per cent of mothers seeking delivery services in Kakamega County get facilities unequipped to meet their needs effectively.

“We have factors such as limited information and resources that drive this disparity, leading to an increase in maternal and neonatal deaths, and with phase two of SDR having been done in Malava and Lugari, we intend to do the same in Matungu to bring sustainable interventions to address these challenges, such as timely and equitable access to information, care for mothers and their babies, enhanced infrastructure, and increased staffing,” said Kahbura.

She said in collaboration with Kakamega County, Jacaranda intends to enhance health financing arrangements for quality healthcare services and implement the Kakamega Health Fund, which provides a sustainable pathway for revenue generation and utilisation.