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Health

I get treated in our Local Public Hospitals when unwell: Kibwana

Makueni Governor Prof Kivutha Kibwana has revealed he has always sought treatment from public hospitals within the county due to quality services provided by various local health institutions.

Unlike his colleagues known for seeking treatment abroad Prof Kibwana said he at one point went through a successful slight operation from the Makueni Level 4 hospital, saying improved health services in various public health facilities in the county has made local institutions preferable.

“I get treated in our hospitals here.When I fall sick I go to the Level Four hospital and when I get unwell when in Nairobi I go to hospitals there.

Many of our staff also go to our public hospitals here in Makueni despite having enrolled in various medical schemes. It shows we have confidence in our institutions,”Prof Kibwana said.

The governor who was speaking during the Health Workers Excellence Awards Ceremony held at Kwa Kathoka to honour successful employees of the county’s department of health said Makueni medical staff had generally performed well in the implementation of programs under their mandate.

“Even though we are recognizing people here who made it.There are many others who are not here but who also contributed to this success,”Prof Kibwana noted.

He singled out the implementation the Universal Health Care program saying it had propelled the county to higher levels nationally.

“I am really very happy to join you this morning as we celebrate the achievement of various health department staff. Indeed you have made Makueni proud,”the governor said.

He said the successful Universal Health Care program was initiated by the leadership of the department and congratulated them for coming up with a largely successful idea.

Prof Kibwana said he was keen on major improvements in the local healthcare systems for the benefit of the people before his retirement as governor.

He also urged the department to ensure revenue obtained through charges levied on NHIF card holders was collected and used to support infrastructural development in various hospitals.

We need concerted efforts to address menstrual hygiene management – Nazi

Makueni County First Lady Nazi Kivutha has applauded the national government for recently releasing the sanitary towels consignments to the counties.

Nazi observed that other several organisations were addressing the various aspects of menstrual hygiene management but urged that there was need for concerted efforts in a bid to empower the girl child for holistic development.

She said: “Allow me to congratulate the national government through the ministry of Public Services, Youth and Gender Affairs for recently releasing sanitary towels consignment to the counties. With countless organisations joining us we need concerted efforts to address this issue as a whole.”

She however noted that significant barriers persist and continue to be major challenges to women and girls during their menstruation especially from low income households.

Nazi also observed that in most rural areas across the country, girls miss schools for up to 5 days every month and that 65% of them cannot afford sanitary towels.

“Significant barriers continue to be major challenges facing women and girls during their menstruation. Most of them come from low income households and cannot afford sanitary towels,” she said.

Nazi spoke on Monday during the Menstrual Hygiene Day celebrations in Kisumu, a national platform that brought together non-profits, government agencies, the private sector, the media and individuals to promote menstrual hygiene management.

She further stated that young girls engage in sexual activities which results to increased adolescent pregnancies and early marriages as most of them turn to transactional sex in a bid to acquire the sanitary towels.

In Makueni county, similar celebrations were held at Kiambani day and Boarding primary school where officials from the county government, the national government and non-state actors distributed sanitary towels to school going girls.

Universal Healthcare Conference 2018

Universal Healthcare Conference 2018

A two day conference at Wote, Makueni, on Universal Healthcare coverage ended Thursday with a rallying call to the national government to implement the programme across the country.

The conference brought together multi-sectorial stakeholders and agencies to deliberate on the possibilities and framework for implementation of a Universal Healthcare programme to accord Kenyans quality, accessible and affordable healthcare.

Host governor Prof Kivutha Kibwana described the conference as a historic event that will revolutionize the health sector if its deliberations are effectively implemented.

“If there was ever any doubt on the possibility of achieving Universal Healthcare in Kenya, that doubt has been debunked by the Makueni conference,” he said.

“A major take-home for everyone is that Universal healthcare is achievable with the right framework and goodwill by all supportive agencies. Strategic partnerships are the key to achieving this dream,” said Prof Kibwana.

The Makueni governor said the experiences of several counties such as Makueni, Laikipia and Kakamega that have tried different facets of universal healthcare programmes is testimony enough that it can be rolled out nationally with success.

United Nations Development Programme resident representative to Kenya Siddharth Chatterjee said the surging Kenyan population calls for a rethink in the country’s healthcare system.

“By 2050, Kenya’s population is likely to hit 90Million. This will by all means exert pressure on the country’s health sector,” Mr Chatterjee noted.

He called for preventive healthcare system with focus on immunization more than the curative  system.

He said mainstreaming of community health workers into the healthcare system would boost the preventive system.

Kenya Healthcare Federation Chief Executive Officer Dr. Amit Thakker said the private sector is willing to play a key partner to the Universal Healthcare programme.

He pledged pro-bono services in support of the improvement of the Makuenicare universal healthcare programme.

Planning Principal Secretary Dr Julius Muia who graced the event said if corruption was eliminated fro the health sector,the Universal Healthcare programme would be implemented without the need to look outside the country.

AMREF Health Africa Chief Executive Officer Dr Githinji Gitahi said the foundation would play a key role in the Universal Healthcare Conversation through capacity building and training.

He said AMREF will soon commence construction works for a medical university at Makindu on a 50-acre piece of land donated by the Makueni County government, which would be key in medical training and research.

Other leaders who graced the event include Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi, Prof. Khama Rogo a World Bank health specialist and Makueni deputy governor Adelina Mwau.