Health

The Makueni County exhibition booth on Wednesday continued to attract visitors eager to learn about innovative solutions being implemented by the county to address healthcare challenges.

The visitors who are attending the Health Summit 2026 at Kenyatta International Conference Center, among them global health stakeholders, applauded Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. for his commitment to championing effective innovations aimed at improving maternal and child health outcomes.

Among the innovations showcased was Proximie, a technology that enables specialists to provide remote support during surgical procedures through augmented reality and telemedicine.

Makueni pioneered the use of the technology in Africa, integrating Proximie’s augmented reality and telemedicine platform into public health facilities, including the Mother and Child Hospital.

The platform enables remote specialists to virtually “scrub in” during surgeries and support medical teams in real time.

The county’s adoption of the technology has since inspired other counties. Fourteen counties in Kenya have adopted Proximie and are currently implementing the technology in their health facilities.

The President and Chief Executive Officer of Jhpiego, Dr Allyson Bear, has commended Makueni County for allocating 39 per cent of its budget to health services, saying the commitment demonstrates the county’s determination to keep healthcare accessible to its people.

Dr Bear spoke during a cocktail dinner at the Radisson Blu Arboretum in Nairobi, attended by health sector stakeholders, including Kenya’s Chief Nursing Officer, Dr Judith Awinja, officials from the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization and the US Embassy, among others.

The event was held to celebrate partnerships that have contributed to improved health outcomes, particularly in maternal and child health.

Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili expressed appreciation to Jhpiego for its longstanding partnership with the county, saying the organisation had helped introduce innovative solutions that have improved maternal and child health services.

One of the key interventions introduced through the partnership is heat-stable carbetocin, popularly known in Makueni as “Kausha”, which is used to help prevent excessive bleeding after childbirth.

Through the AMPLI-PPH project, Makueni became one of the first counties to adopt new World Health Organization-recommended interventions for managing postpartum haemorrhage.

These included calibrated drapes for measuring blood loss and a rapid first-response treatment bundle.

The partnership has also transformed care for women living with obstetric fistula.

Together with Jhpiego, Makueni established a comprehensive fistula centre at the County Referral Hospital, which is now recognised as a model for routine fistula care in Kenya.

Beyond surgery, the programme provides counselling, rehabilitation, community integration and support aimed at restoring the dignity of women who have often suffered in silence for years.

In family planning, 55 per cent of mothers in Makueni leave health facilities with a family planning method within 48 hours of delivery, making the county a leading performer in Kenya on the indicator.

The county has also committed its own-source resources to sustain and scale up the innovations beyond the lifespan of donor-supported projects.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr has been recognised as a champion of efforts to prevent and manage postpartum haemorrhage.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.’s administration on Tuesday received accolades for its health innovations showcased at the county’s booth at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), where the Ministry of Health and partners are holding a two-day health summit.

Health actors from the Ministry of Health, parastatals and global health partners took keen interest in Makueni’s multiple micronutrient supplements for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, an initiative first launched and introduced in the country by the county.

The supplements aim to improve maternal nutrition and combat anaemia. The programme is being implemented in Makueni in partnership with Vitamin Angels under a four-year initiative.

Another innovation that attracted attention was the ‘Safer Births Bundle of Care’, which is being rolled out in Makueni in partnership with Laerdal Global Health.

The initiative seeks to reduce maternal and newborn deaths through the use of digital tools, including Moyo, a fetal heart-rate monitoring device worn around a pregnant woman’s abdomen during labour, and NeoBeat, a heart monitor placed around a newborn’s chest to monitor the baby’s heartbeat.

The initiative also includes upright and penguin devices to support newborn care.

Makueni is already in the process of procuring the innovative clinical tools to strengthen intrapartum and newborn care across its health facilities.

The county is expected to share its key health innovations and its journey in the adoption of health products and technologies on the sidelines of the summit on Tuesday.

Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr on Monday visited victims of the Kalembwani road accident receiving treatment at the Makueni County Referral Hospital.

Governor Mutula commended the medical team, led by orthopaedic surgeon Dr Kelvin Maweu, for responding swiftly to the victims and providing emergency treatment.

He announced that his administration would waive the medical bills incurred by the accident victims and cater for funeral expenses for those who lost their lives in the tragedy.

The County Referral Hospital received 41 patients on Sunday evening, while 28 others were admitted at Matiliku Sub-CountyHospital.

According to Dr Maweu, eight patients had been admitted at the County Referral Hospital, with two expected to be discharged with medication on Monday.

The remaining six patients would continue receiving treatment at the facility.

Governor Mutula has also appointed a task force to oversee funeral arrangements for the seven people who died in the accident. The arrangements will be held in Nthongoni.

He further announced that an interdenominational prayer service for the victims would be held on Wednesday in Nthongoni.

The Makueni County Government has commissioned a new maternity wing at Kikumini Health Centre, a move expected to significantly improve maternal healthcare services and increase the facility’s delivery capacity.

For years, Kikumini Health Centre has recorded an average of six deliveries every month.

With the completion of the new maternity wing, the facility is now expected to handle up to 25 deliveries monthly, providing expectant mothers with improved access to quality maternal care.

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, Makueni Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili commended healthcare workers for their dedication to serving residents, noting that the county has continued to invest in expanding access to healthcare.

On average, every Makueni resident has a health facility within four to five kilometres, in line with internationally accepted standards for geographical access to primary healthcare.

Mulili also highlighted the county’s efforts to strengthen the referral system through the centralisation of ambulance dispatch services and the introduction of a free ambulance programme.

Under the programme, she said, no Makueni resident referred by a clinician will be required to pay for ambulance transport to another health facility, whether within or outside the county.

Mulili was accompanied by Ministry of Health officials led by Dr. Edward Serem, representatives of the Government of Finland, county government officials and several Members of the County Assembly (MCAs).

For 74-year-old Elizabeth Munini from Kyuasini Village in Ukia Ward, Kaiti Constituency, receiving a Universal Healthcare Insurance card under the Mutula Care medical scheme marked a significant milestone in her long battle with chronic illness.

Munini has lived with asthma since 1968 and has been managing arthritis and hypertension since 2009. In 2019, she was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, further compounding her health challenges.

Her family’s burden has been made even heavier by her husband’s ongoing battle with prostate cancer.

She said meeting the cost of treatment has been difficult, as the family depends solely on farming for its livelihood and their children are unable to provide substantial financial support.

Munini lauded Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.’s administration for prioritising vulnerable members of the community under the Makueni Care programme, saying the medical cover will significantly improve access to healthcare services both within and outside the county.

The county has so far factored about 10,000 households in the medical scheme, with distribution of cards continuing across Makueni.

On Thursday, the Director of Planning in the Department of Health Services, David Kiuluku, issued 370 Makueni Care insurance cards to residents of Ukia Ward during an event held at Mukuyuni ACK Hall.

Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. on Monday flagged off 385 bicycles for Community Health Promoters (CHPs) in Thange, Ivingoni-Nzambani, Kikumbulyu South and Kikumbulyu North wards to improve mobility and strengthen the delivery of healthcare services across the county.

Speaking at the Mother and Child Hospital, Governor Mutula said CHPs are the first point of contact within communities and often traverse difficult terrain to reach households.

He noted that the bicycles would enable them to cover more homes, improve response time and enhance the quality of healthcare services at the community level.

The governor said the bicycles were prioritized during last financial year’s public participation forums in the four wards, and encouraged other wards to prioritise similar initiatives in future budget planning.

During the event, Governor Mutula also commissioned free ambulance services for patients referred by clinicians and those requiring emergency medical care.

He said 265 patients have already benefited from the service since July 1st this year.

To strengthen emergency medical response, the county has partnered with the Emergency Medical Kenya Foundation through a programme dubbed Ambulensi, which is installing an Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system.

The technology will enable dispatch teams to quickly locate callers requesting emergency services, reducing response time and lowering operational costs.

The county currently has 10 operational ambulances, while two are undergoing repairs. It has also received an additional ambulance from St. John Ambulance, with plans to procure two more units during the current financial year.

The governor was accompanied by Kikumbulyu North MCA Jackson Mbalu, Kikumbulyu South MCA Jades Kalunda, Mavindini MCA Japheth Kimongo, nominated MCAs Elizabeth Muthike and Sarah Mbilo, and County Assembly Clerk Ken Mutuku.