Some great news from Homa Bay County in Kenya that’ll warm your hearts. Thanks to the amazing efforts of Safaricom and its foundations, maternal healthcare in the area is about to get a serious boost. Safaricom Foundation has gone all out and renovated the Newborn Unit at Homa Bay County Referral Hospital. They’ve ramped up the number of baby beds from a measly 10 to a whopping 35! That’s some serious bed expansion, my friends. And get this, it cost them a cool KES 1.3 million. Talk about investing in the future!
The M-PESA Foundation, under their Uzazi Salama initiative, has gone all out and constructed a brand-spankin’ new maternal, newborn, and child healthcare unit at Ndhiwa Sub-County Hospital. And guess what? They didn’t stop at construction, folks. They’ve gone ahead and equipped the whole shebang, and it set them back a cool KES 36.9 million. That’s some serious dedication to improving healthcare outcomes for mothers and children in the area, don’t you think?
Now, let’s talk about this incredible Uzazi Salama program. It’s a fantastic initiative aimed at improving reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent healthcare. They’ve partnered up with AMREF Health Africa to work their magic in Ndhiwa and Suba Sub-Counties. This program, launched in 2021, is going strong for a solid two years and aims to benefit around 90,000 women and kiddos under the age of 5. The big goal here is to boost the county’s capacity to provide top-notch, affordable health services in these areas. That’s what I call a serious commitment to making a positive impact!
The M-PESA Foundation is on a roll, my friends. They’ve joined forces with the County Government of Homa Bay and AMREF Health Africa to tackle the challenges of maternal and child health head-on. Together, they’re reaching out to as many residents as possible, especially those in remote areas. They’re on a mission to reduce the number of deaths and complications that occur during childbirth due to preventable causes. And you know what? I couldn’t agree more with Nicholas Ng’ang’a, the Chairperson of the M-PESA Foundation, who said, “No mother should suffer the loss of her child or her own life due to preventable causes during childbirth.” That’s some powerful stuff right there, my friends. They’re fighting tooth and nail to ensure that every newborn gets a fighting chance to thrive.
But the good deeds don’t end there. The M-PESA Foundation has also rolled out a telemedicine program called Daktari Smart in Homa Bay County. It’s bringing specialized medical care right to the remote areas, folks. Now that’s what I call innovation in action! And to top it all off, they’re working hand in hand with Kenya Relief to construct a marvelous 65-bed maternal unit in Migori County. It’s like a healthcare superhero team, swooping in to save the day!
Now, let’s take a look at the numbers. Kenya’s got a bit of work to do when it comes to maternal mortality rates. According to Kenya’s Demographic and Health Survey, the country’s maternal mortality rate sits at a concerning 362 deaths per 100,000 live births. Yikes! That’s a bit higher than the global target of less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births set by the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3. But fear not, my friends, with initiatives like Uzazi Salama and the dedication of the M-PESA Foundation, we’re moving in the right direction. Let’s keep those positive vibes going and make sure every mother and child receive the care they deserve!