Health

Makueni has taken a major step in strengthening emergency response along the busy Mombasa Highway following the launch of a new Trauma Center in Emali, established through a partnership between the county government and St. John Ambulance.

The state-of-the-art facility, equipped with two fully fitted ambulances, will cater to accident victims along the 170-kilometer stretch of the highway passing through the county, one of Kenya’s busiest and most accident-prone routes.

During the launch, Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili described the facility as a “game changer” for road safety and pledged the county’s commitment to deploy additional emergency response personnel to sustain its operations.

She further urged the national government to intensify efforts to curb drunk driving, citing it as a key contributor to road accidents in the region.

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, who presided over the event, lauded St. John Ambulance for the lifesaving initiative and revealed that the national government plans to construct a new trauma hospital in Emali to further enhance emergency medical care along the corridor.

County Executive Committee Member for Health Joyce Mutua welcomed the development, noting that it will greatly reduce response time and improve survival rates for accident victims.

According to the chancellor of St. John Ambulance Brigade, Dr. Gome Lenga, the Emali Trauma Center is one of only two major trauma facilities along the Mombasa–Malaba corridor, the other being in Naivasha.

He added that the project will also focus on training and equipping members of the bodaboda sector with basic first aid skills to safely handle accident victims.

St. John Ambulance currently operates 14 trauma centers across the country, underscoring its growing role in improving Kenya’s emergency response network.

The Makueni Blood Satellite Center has received a significant upgrade following a partnership between the County Government of Makueni and ENI Kenya, aimed at strengthening blood collection, processing, and storage capacity under the company’s corporate social responsibility program.

The new equipment delivered to the Makueni County Referral Hospital includes a Blood Bank Refrigerator, which maintains blood at optimal temperatures to prevent spoilage and wastage; a Refrigerated Centrifuge, which separates blood into vital components such as plasma and platelets for specialized treatment; and a Blood Plasma Deep Freezer, which ensures the long-term preservation of plasma for use during emergencies and routine medical procedures.

According to Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr., the installation of the advanced equipment will greatly enhance the center’s capacity to store, prepare, and process various blood components, including platelet concentrate, fresh frozen plasma, and cryoprecipitate.

The development will also enable the preservation of blood and its components for up to two years, guaranteeing patients access to safe and reliable blood supplies both within the county and across the country.

The governor emphasized that the upgraded facility will be a lifeline for patients battling cancer, anaemia, and trauma-related injuries, as well as maternity cases requiring urgent transfusions.

ENI Kenya Managing Director Daniella Morra noted that the initiative reflects the company’s continued commitment to strengthening community health systems and improving access to quality healthcare services in Kenya.

The new investment positions Makueni as a regional hub for efficient blood management and marks a vital step in saving lives through improved healthcare infrastructure.

Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. on Tuesday flagged off 623 bales of fortified blended flour to benefit children, pregnant and lactating mothers, and adults battling malnutrition across the county’s six sub-counties, marking yet another milestone in the county’s quest for a well-nourished population.

Speaking during the flag-off on Tuesday, Governor Mutula underscored nutrition as a cornerstone of human capital development, emphasizing his administration’s unwavering commitment to improving health and nutrition outcomes for all residents.

To strengthen the county’s fight against malnutrition, Makueni has partnered with key organizations including Helen Keller International, Vitamin Angels, and ENI Kenya.

Helen Keller International has donated 800 cartons, each containing 150 sachets of Ready-to-Use Supplementary Feed (RUSF), targeting children aged 6 to 59 months suffering from moderate acute malnutrition.

The supplements will be distributed to 121 health facilities designated for managing acute malnutrition.

The organization has also provided weighing scales to aid in nutritional assessment.

ENI Kenya contributed over 28,000 sachets of fortified blended flour for children in the same age bracket and an additional 6,000 sachets for pregnant and lactating mothers.

The nutrition commodities have been delivered to 81 health facilities across all sub-counties, ensuring last-mile delivery and equitable access.

Meanwhile, Vitamin Angels has donated 200,000 doses of dewormers for school-going children, reinforcing efforts to improve child health and reduce nutrient loss caused by parasitic infections.

In a major stride toward reducing neonatal deaths, the County Government of Makueni has unveiled a fully equipped Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Mother and Child Hospital, developed in partnership with ENI Kenya.

The modern facility is outfitted with cutting-edge medical equipment, including incubators, syringe pumps, blood pressure monitors, suction machines, photo boxes, pulse oximeters, radiant baby warmers, glucometers, stethoscopes, medication trolleys, baby cots, vital signs monitors, bilirubinometers, hygrometers, non-invasive ventilators, cardiac monitors, and CPAP machines.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr., who presided over the launch, lauded the partnership as a key milestone in improving maternal and child health outcomes.

He noted that the newly installed technology would greatly enhance the quality and efficiency of newborn care, emphasizing that the healthcare team has already undergone specialized training fully sponsored by ENI Kenya on neonatal intensive care and use of the advanced machines.

ENI Kenya Managing Director Daniella Morra commended the collaboration with Makueni County, affirming the company’s commitment to supporting healthcare advancement in the region.

The establishment of the NICU marks a significant milestone in Makueni’s journey toward accessible, high-quality healthcare for all, reaffirming the county’s leadership in innovative public health initiatives.

Residents of Kambi Mawe and its surrounding areas have a new reason to celebrate following the completion and commissioning of a modern maternity block by the Makueni County Government.

For years, expectant women in the area endured long journeys to Wote in search of maternity services.

That struggle has now come to an end after Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr officially opened the new facility on Tuesday, marking a major milestone in improving maternal health care in the region.

The project was implemented in partnership with ENI Kenya, which supported the county through its corporate social responsibility initiative.

The company donated essential maternity equipment, constructed an ablution block, and installed a septic tank to enhance sanitation and functionality within the facility.

ENI Kenya Managing Director Daniella Morra emphasized the organization’s continued collaboration with Makueni, affirming their commitment to support more community-centered projects when the need arises.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. reiterated his administration’s determination to deliver quality and accessible healthcare across Makueni, noting that improved health infrastructure remains at the heart of his development agenda.

Deputy governor Lucy Mulili on Thursday launched the Boresha Macho Project at Kathonzweni Health Centre, an eye health initiative aimed at improving access to affordable and quality refractive error services across the county.

Through the programme, more than 100,000 residents are set to undergo eye screening, with over 12,000 spectacles expected to be distributed spectacles, significantly contributing to Kenya’s goal of increasing access to refractive error services from the current 6.7 percent to 40 percent.

The county government is implementing the project in collaboration with Sight Savers and the Kenya Society for the Blind.

Currently, eye care services are available at the Makueni County Referral Hospital, Makindu Sub-County Hospital, and satellite clinics in Mbooni, Kibwezi, and Sultan Hamud.

The initiative forms part of Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.’s broader agenda to strengthen primary healthcare and bring essential medical services closer to the people.

As part of the partnership, Sight Savers will equip the county with modern eye care technology, support community outreaches, establish a state-of-the-art optical shop at the referral hospital, and train community health promoters to enhance awareness and early intervention.

The initiative aims to provide residents of Makueni with accessible, affordable, and quality eye care services, focusing on the detection and treatment of refractive errors.

Through this partnership, the county plans to screen more than 100,000 residents and distribute over 12,000 spectacles to those in need.

Additionally, the programme will strengthen local health capacity by training more than 300 Community Health Promoters and 22 healthcare workers across all six sub-counties. Sightsavers