Health

More than 3000 residents received orthopedic,dental and cataract surgeries at Tawa Sub-County Hospital during a medical camp organized by the County Government of Makueni in collaboration with the Shrimad Rajchandra charitable organization.

The medical camp successfully addressed three complex orthopedic cases, performed 114 eye cataract surgeries, and conducted 70 dental procedures.

In addition to the surgeries, the camp provided vital health screenings for diabetes and high blood pressure, enhancing access to critical healthcare services for the community.

Speaking during the event, Dr. Stephen Ndolo, Chief Officer for Health Services, encouraged locals to take full advantage of the camp’s offerings, including screenings for cervical and breast cancer as well as other medical conditions.

Dr. Ndolo also urged residents to enroll in the Makueni Care health insurance program (SHA) to ease the financial burden of hospital bills, emphasizing the importance of preparedness in accessing affordable healthcare.

The camp reflects the county’s ongoing efforts to improve health services and promote preventative care among its residents.

Makueni, once among the top ten counties with the highest maternal death rates, has made strides in maternal healthcare. Since 2022, no maternal deaths caused by postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) have been reported in its public hospitals.

This achievement is attributed to innovative healthcare practices and the adoption of Heat-Stable Carbetocin, a World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended drug proven to prevent excessive bleeding after childbirth.

The county has also embraced calibrated drapes, a specialized tool that helps measure blood loss during childbirth.

These clear drapes, placed on delivery beds, enable accurate monitoring, allowing medical personnel to respond swiftly to abnormal bleeding.

On Tuesday, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. flagged off 11,000 calibrated drapes for distribution to health facilities across the county, further bolstering this initiative.

The governor emphasized his commitment to ensuring that women in Makueni deliver safely and return home with healthy babies.

He hosted members of the UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health, who visited the county to learn from its best practices in managing PPH.

The visiting delegation, mainly from Norway and Italy, is dedicated to mobilizing donor governments and strengthening collaborations to improve access to quality healthcare globally.

Makueni is among the first counties in Kenya to adopt a comprehensive approach to combating PPH, combining the use of Heat-Stable Carbetocin with calibrated drapes.

These efforts are part of the “Accelerating Measurable Progress and Leveraging Investments for Postpartum Hemorrhage Impact (AMPLI-PHHI)” program, a partnership between the county and Jhpiego. This initiative aims to drastically reduce maternal mortality and morbidity rates associated with PPH.

County First Lady Anita Mutula officially launched breast and cervical cancer screening initiative in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month at the Mother and Child Hospital in Wote on Wednesday.

Leading the effort to promote early detection and prevention, Anita is advocating for free screening services for both breast and cervical cancer, aiming to increase access to life-saving care for the community.

During her address, Anita noted the alarming statistics from the Makueni Referral Hospital’s Empower Clinic, where 70.2% of cancer patients are diagnosed at stage 4 and an additional 23.5% at stage 3.

She emphasized the need for routine screenings, stating that regular check-ups for both men and women are essential in addressing these rising cancer challenges and fostering a culture of early detection.

The First Lady also expressed concern about the high prevalence of prostate cancer found among men during a recent medical camp, calling attention to the need for focused awareness and intervention.

Since its establishment, the Empower Clinic has served over 1,000 patients, offering vital support and treatment.

At the launch, cancer survivors Rose Munini and Nicholas Musyoka shared their journey with breast and prostate cancer, respectively, expressing gratitude for the treatment received at the empower clinic, which has brought them into remission.

The First Lady was joined by key partners supporting the cancer clinic, including Savanna Informatics Global Health,Roche-Kenya, the National Cancer Institute, and several members of the County Assembly, Chief Officers Dr.Stephen Ndolo,Dr.Harvey Mulei,Felistus Mutune and other county staff.

UNICEF Country Director to Kenya, Shaheen Nilofer, alongside Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr., led a pivotal meeting today aimed at exploring potential collaboration to advance Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) in Makueni County. The discussions centered on strengthening efforts to improve the quality of education and care for young learners.

Makueni County has made remarkable progress over the past two years in transforming its ECDE sector, with a strong focus on infrastructure enhancement, teacher development, and learner support. The county has excelled in providing essential teaching and learning materials, fostering talent development, and ensuring the health and nutritional well-being of ECDE learners. Notably, the county’s health department has successfully reached 1,298 ECDE centers between January and June 2024, representing a 93% coverage rate.

During the meeting, both parties explored key areas for future collaboration. These included promoting health and nutrition initiatives, introducing school feeding programs, and providing digital learning gadgets to enhance modern learning methods. Additionally, the introduction of kitchen gardens was discussed as a way to diversify the learners’ diets, alongside efforts to improve water sanitation, hygiene interventions, and social protection programs for young children.

Ms. Nilofer praised Makueni for its commitment to empowering teachers and building a robust ECDE infrastructure. She emphasized the importance of early childhood interventions, noting that catching children at this formative stage is critical for long-term success. “Makueni has set an excellent example with what it has achieved so far,” Nilofer remarked, commending the county for prioritizing early learning and expressing confidence in the potential for future collaboration.

UNICEF leadership further acknowledged the county’s progress and expressed interest in supporting its digital learning platforms, which aim to increase parental engagement in the educational process. The exchange of best practices and the scaling of successful initiatives were highlighted as key opportunities for collaboration.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to strengthening ECDE in the county and welcomed UNICEF’s support in expanding these efforts. “We are committed to giving our young learners the best foundation possible,” he said, expressing optimism about the long-term impact of these partnerships. Governor Kilonzo also underscored Makueni’s readiness to work closely with UNICEF in implementing the proposed initiatives to further uplift the county’s early childhood education landscape.

The meeting concluded on a hopeful note, with both leaders expressing their shared vision of creating a brighter future for Makueni’s youngest learners through targeted support and innovative programs.