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MUTULA FLAGS OFF 385 BICYCLES FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH PROMOTERS, LAUNCHES FREE AMBULANCE SERVICES.

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.

HEALTH WORKERS TRAINED ON DIGITAL INNOVATION FOR WOMEN’S HEALTHCARE

The Department of Health on Friday convened an induction meeting for healthcare workers at Kusyombunguo Hotel to advance women’s health through the FemTech ecosystem by laying the foundation for a collaborative, gender-responsive and digitally enabled innovation framework.

Speaking during the meeting, Professor Beatrice Kihara of the University of Nairobi said the initiative seeks to improve women’s health outcomes across every stage of life by harnessing digital technologies and innovation.

She said the programme will focus on strengthening the digital health ecosystem through telemedicine, artificial intelligence (AI), mobile health technologies, wearable devices and clinical decision support systems.

According to Prof. Kihara, the initiative also aims to promote gender-responsive and inclusive innovations that address key women’s health priorities, including maternal health, family planning, menstrual health, cervical and breast cancer, adolescent health and menopause, while integrating digital technologies into routine healthcare delivery.

She further called for the establishment of a Makueni County FemTech Observatory to coordinate innovation, research, surveillance and evidence generation.

The observatory, she said, would also champion environmentally sustainable digital health solutions while driving public awareness and behaviour change initiatives to improve digital health literacy, strengthen community engagement and accelerate the adoption of technology.

Prof. Kihara noted that women face unique health challenges, including endometriosis, fertility complications and uterine fibroids, underscoring the need for innovative, technology-driven solutions to improve healthcare outcomes.

MAKUENI RALLIES PARTNERS TO ACCELERATE MATERNAL AND NEWBORN HEALTH INITIATIVE

The Department of Health Services on Friday convened a Reproductive Health and Family Planning Technical Working Group meeting to develop a coordinated plan for accelerating the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere (EWENE) initiative across Makueni County.

The meeting brought together key development partners, including Jhpiego, the Kenya Red Cross, Jacaranda Health, Women Engaged in Development, Anita Mbinya Foundation, VSO, Makueni Development Trust and Vitamin Angels, to strengthen collaborative efforts aimed at reducing maternal and newborn deaths.

Participants agreed on several priority actions to guide implementation of the initiative. These include establishing an EWENE Steering Committee to oversee implementation, strengthening Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR), improving emergency obstetric care and referral systems, enhancing access to essential health commodities and blood products, and ensuring that mothers receive postpartum family planning counselling and services before being discharged from health facilities.

The agreed interventions are expected to enhance coordination among stakeholders and improve the quality of maternal and newborn healthcare services across the county.

KILIFI COUNTY BENCHMARKS MAKUENI’S EXCELLENCE IN MATERNAL AND NEWBORN HEALTHCARE

Makueni County on Wednesday hosted a delegation from Kilifi County at the Makueni County Referral Hospital for a learning visit aimed at sharing best practices in maternal and newborn healthcare.

The delegation, comprising facility management teams and Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH) care providers, visited the hospital to benchmark on the innovative approaches that have positioned Makueni County Referral Hospital as a centre of excellence in the delivery of quality maternal and newborn health services.

The bench-marking exercise focused on operational workflows, staffing models, use of health data to drive quality improvement, maternal and perinatal mortality surveillance and response, as well as strategies for sustaining quality care and improving health outcomes.

Health officials noted that the exchange of knowledge and experiences between counties is key to strengthening healthcare systems and accelerating the reduction of preventable maternal and newborn deaths across the country.

The visit reaffirmed Makueni County’s growing reputation as a leader in healthcare innovation, with its successful models continuing to attract learning delegations from other counties seeking to improve service delivery and enhance patient outcomes.

MAKUENI STRENGTHENS DISABILITY INCLUSION THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING

The County Government of Makueni, in partnership with CURE Kenya and CBM through the SHINE Project, successfully conducted a two-day training for Health Workers, Community Health Promoters (CHPs), and Community Resource Workers to strengthen disability inclusion, early identification, prevention, advocacy, and referral systems across the county.

The training equipped participants with practical skills in disability screening, early detection, rehabilitation, referral pathways, and community linkages, while enhancing their capacity to identify and support persons with disabilities. Participants were also sensitized on common congenital and physical disabilities, underscoring the importance of timely intervention in improving health outcomes.

The training was graced by the Director in charge of preventive and promotive Health,Dr. Stephen Mwatha, who reaffirmed the health workers’ commitment to strengthening disability-inclusive health services through continuous capacity building.

The initiative forms part of Makueni County’s broader efforts to build an inclusive health system by empowering front-line healthcare workers with the skills needed to promote early detection, timely referrals, and access to quality rehabilitation services.

NGAAKAA RESIDENTS REAP BENEFITS OF NEARBY HEALTH FACILITY THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

For 27-year-old Esther Mutheu of Ngaakaa Village in Makindu Ward, the birth of her daughter, Zawadi, marked more than a personal milestone, it highlighted the impact of accessible healthcare services within her community.

On Tuesday, a beaming Esther brought her week-old baby to Ngaakaa Health Centre for regular check up. The facility, established earlier this year through a partnership between the County Government of Makueni, World Vision and Mountain Blue Foundation , has become a lifeline for residents seeking quality healthcare closer to home.

Esther delivered her baby at the facility on June 14 and says the experience was smooth and reassuring. Located just a 20-minute walk from her homestead, the health centre has significantly reduced the distance residents previously travelled to access essential medical services.

The World Health Organization recommends that health facilities be located within a maximum distance of five kilometres or about a one-hour walk from the communities they serve. In Makueni, efforts by Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.’s administration to expand access to primary healthcare are helping bring services even closer to residents, ensuring timely access to routine care, maternal health services and emergency treatment.

According to Esther, labour pains began at around 2 a.m. A quick phone call to a boda boda rider enabled her to reach the facility in good time. Upon arrival, she was attended to promptly by healthcare workers who now reside at the facility, making her delivery experience both safe and memorable.

For Ngaakaa Health Centre Committee Chairperson Julius Musila, the facility’s presence carries deep personal significance. He recalls a painful experience years ago when his late father required urgent medical attention during the night.

At the time, the nearest facility was Makindu Sub-County Hospital, and the long journey proved costly.

Musila says the loss of his father remains a painful memory and believes that access to a nearby health facility could have made a difference.

Speaking during a routine visit by county health officials on Tuesday, residents praised Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. for fostering partnerships that continue to improve healthcare access in rural communities. They urged the governor to pursue more collaborations aimed at enhancing service delivery and improving the well being of Makueni residents.

15 CATARACT PATIENTS DISCHARGED AFTER SUCCESSFUL SURGERIES AT KIBWEZI EAST SUB-COUNTY HOSPITAL.

Fifteen cataract patients were discharged from Kibwezi East Sub-County Hospital on Thursday morning following successful surgeries conducted after thorough screening and pre-operative assessment by the hospital’s ophthalmic team.

The hospital organized a two-day eye screening exercise that began on Wednesday and identified 24 community members for cataract assessment.

Of these, 15 underwent cataract extraction surgery, while the remaining patients were screened, treated and provided with appropriate medication.

According to Ophthalmic Nursing Officer Thaddeus Mutie, all patients were in stable condition and responding well to post-operative care.

He noted that the post-operative review process included eye pad removal, eye cleaning, comprehensive ocular examinations, visual acuity assessments, prescription of medication and patient counseling to support recovery and promote proper eye care.

IMPROVING ACCESS TO PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. Wednesday received a project handover certificate following the successful implementation of a healthcare partnership between the Government of Makueni County and ENI Kenya. Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2024, substantial progress has been made in strengthening critical components of maternal, newborn, and emergency healthcare services across multiple levels of care, including Kambimawe Dispensary, the Blood Satellite Unit, and Makueni County Referral Hospital. The partnership also supported extensive training and capacity-building initiatives for healthcare workers.

As a result, prematurity-related deaths at the Makueni County Referral Hospital have significantly reduced following improvements in neonatal care.

The Governor thanked ENI Kenya for its continued support, while ENI Kenya Managing Director Daniela Morra commended the county government for its transparency and successful implementation of the project.

During the handover ceremony held in Nairobi, discussions focused on strengthening future collaborations, particularly in advancing pediatric healthcare and enhancing animal feed production initiatives targeting farmer groups within the county.

MAKUENI COUNTY SEEKS INCREASED INVESTMENT IN FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES.

Makueni County has renewed its commitment to strengthening family planning services through increased local funding.

A meeting organized by the County Department of Health Services, the Anita Mbinya Foundation (AMF), and Jhpiego’s APIP Project brought together members of the County Assembly Health Committee to discuss sustainable financing for family planning programs.

Stakeholders highlighted the benefits of family planning in improving maternal and child health, reducing unintended pregnancies, and supporting socio-economic development. They called for continued county budget support to ensure access to commodities and quality reproductive health services.

The engagement forms part of the county’s efforts to strengthen policy support and secure sustainable financing for reproductive health services.

MAKUENI REVIEWS PROGRESS OF NUTRITION PROGRAMME, RECORDS 98 PER CENT IMPLEMENTATION RATE.

The County Government of Makueni, in collaboration with the Departments of Health Services, Agriculture, and Gender, and with support from Helen Keller International, has reviewed the implementation of activities under the first year of a two-year nutrition programme.

The review meeting, which brought together officers from the three departments, revealed that 98 per cent of the planned activities had been successfully implemented across the six sub-counties.

The programme, dubbed Transforming Lives Through Nutrition, has been under implementation since July 2025. It focuses on both nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions aimed at improving the nutritional status and overall well-being of residents.

Nutrition-specific interventions are being spearheaded by the Department of Health Services, while nutrition-sensitive activities are being implemented by the Departments of Agriculture and Gender.

Helen Keller International, working in partnership with a consortium of development partners, is supporting the programme’s implementation as part of efforts to strengthen nutrition outcomes and enhance household resilience across Makueni County.