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MAKUENI ADVANCES WITH MULTIPLE MICRONUTRIENT SUPPLEMENTATION AS STUDY REVEALS LOW IFAS ADHERENCE AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN

A recent study conducted by Department of Health Services in partnership with Vitamin Angels has revealed low adherence to Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (IFAS) among pregnant women despite high coverage during antenatal clinic visits.

The findings show that while 93.1 per cent of women attending prenatal care receive IFAS tablets, only 17 per cent complete the recommended dosage.

Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation remain a critical nutritional intervention aimed at preventing anaemia in pregnancy and reducing birth defects while supporting maternal and fetal health.

However, the study established that many pregnant women in Makueni fail to complete the dosage due to concerns over the alleged smell and unpleasant taste of the tablets among other characteristics.

The study further revealed growing acceptance of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS), with 95.4 per cent of pregnant women expressing willingness to use the supplement.

The World Health Organization-recommended MMS contains 15 essential vitamins and minerals ( iron and folic included) specifically formulated to improve maternal nutrition, pregnancy outcomes, and infant health.

Makueni County, which this year became the first in the country to launch the supplementation programme, is now adopting a multi-sectoral approach to ensure successful implementation and adherence.

The county government has brought together several departments, including Agriculture, Health, Education, Gender, Finance, and Socio-Economic Planning, to strengthen nutrition interventions among mothers and adolescent girls.

The Department of Agriculture is supporting food systems and dietary diversity initiatives such as kitchen gardens and food preservation, while the Department of Health is working closely with the education sector to improve antenatal care awareness among school-going adolescents.

According to the findings, adolescents account for 11 per cent of antenatal clinic attendees, with studies indicating that 66 per cent of them record the lowest adherence to Iron and Folic Acid supplementation.

Vitamin Angel’s Africa Technical Director, Dr. Lucy Kanya, who spoke on Friday as she addressed healthcare workers and other stakeholders noted that full implementation of MMS programmes across Africa would significantly contribute to the achievement of suitable development goals on zero hunger, good health and well-being, and gender equality.

She noted that full implementation of MMS programmes across Africa would significantly contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals on zero hunger, good health and well-being, and gender equality.

Health Services CECM Joyce Mutua believes the transition to MMS could mark a major breakthrough in improving maternal and child health outcomes, especially in vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities.

MAKUENI HEALTH WORKERS SHARPEN EMERGENCY SKILLS THROUGH SPECIALIZED PEDIATRIC TRAINING

The Government of Makueni County has intensified efforts to strengthen emergency healthcare services through a specialized Pediatric Emergency Medicine Skills Workshop held in the Makueni Mother and Child Hospital on Friday bringing together nurses, clinicians, medical officers and consultants from across the county.

The two-day training focused on enhancing emergency response and trauma management for children, equipping healthcare workers with advanced practical skills in Pediatric Trauma Life Support (PTLS) and Point of Care Ultrasound Clinical Integration.

Participants underwent hands-on sessions on airway management, trauma procedures, shock management, ultrasound scanning, fracture assessment and emergency clinical decision-making.

The workshop was organized in collaboration with international medical experts and partners including The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Hadassah Medical Center, with facilitators guiding participants through simulation exercises and practical emergency response scenarios.

The initiative is expected to improve the quality of emergency pediatric care across health facilities in Makueni, boosting the capacity of frontline health workers to handle critical cases and save lives.

MAKUENI BOOSTS CHILD EMERGENCY CARE THROUGH ISRAEL PARTNERSHIP

Makueni County has strengthened its efforts to improve child healthcare services through a new partnership with Israel focused on pediatric emergency and trauma care training for local health workers.

Israel’s Ambassador to Kenya, Gideon Behar, on Thursday visited the Makueni County Referral Hospital to launch a pediatric emergency medicine skills workshop aimed at enhancing child healthcare services in the county.

The training is being facilitated by experts from Hadassah University Medical Center and The Hebrew University. The seminar focuses on pediatric trauma care and seeks to strengthen the ability of healthcare workers to respond to children in emergency and stress situations while promoting knowledge exchange between the institutions.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. said the partnership places Makueni on the international map in health innovation and health capability. He urged healthcare practitioners to fully utilize the opportunity, saying residents deserve quality healthcare services.

Ambassador Behar l described the partnership as the beginning of broader collaborations between Israel and Makueni. He said the training is intended to enhance the county’s healthcare capacity and improve preparedness for accurate emergency response in pediatric trauma care.

MAKUENI’S EFFORTS IN REDUCING MATERNAL DEATHS GETS MAJOR BOOST AS AMPLI-PPHI PROJECT RECORDS SUCCESS

Makueni County’s efforts to combat maternal deaths received a major boost following the successful implementation of the Accelerating Measurable Progress and Leveraging Investments for Postpartum Hemorrhage Impact (AMPLI-PPHI) project.

The project’s achievements were highlighted on Thursday during a dissemination meeting held at Kusyombunguo Hotel, where stakeholders gathered to review progress, share implementation experiences, and discuss sustainability plans after the project’s closure.

The meeting, convened through a collaboration between the Department of Health Services and Jhpiego, was led by Country Director Paul Nyachae alongside the AMPLI-PPHI project team.

Supported by donor agency Unitaid, the programme has been implemented in Makueni since 2022 with the aim of accelerating adoption of innovative solutions to prevent and manage postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), one of the leading causes of maternal deaths globally.

Among the interventions introduced in the county include Heat Stable Carbetocin for prevention of PPH, calibrated drapes for accurate measurement of blood loss after childbirth, and the World Health Organization’s First Response Bundle for comprehensive PPH management.

Speaking during the meeting, Health Services County Executive Committee Member Joyce Mutua commended the project for significantly improving maternal health outcomes in the county.

She described Heat Stable Carbetocin as “a savior” in reducing maternal mortality, noting that Makueni had recorded zero maternal deaths in 2023 and 2024, with no maternal deaths reported so far in 2026.

Mutua said the county government had already taken steps to sustain the gains made through the project by procuring calibrated drapes, Heat Stable Carbetocin, Tranexamic acid and Misoprostol drugs used in prevention and management of postpartum hemorrhage.

The project reached 36 health facilities across the county, where over 1,127 healthcare providers were trained to strengthen maternal healthcare skills and emergency response.

Additionally, 187 Community Health Promoters (CHPs), 57 community influencers, and 40 Area Assistant County Commissioners (ACCs) were capacity-built, collectively reaching more than 137,983 residents with key maternal health messages.

Dr. Harvey Mulei noted that before the introduction of Heat Stable Carbetocin in Makueni, the drug was largely inaccessible due to its high cost and limited availability at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA).

He said the price had since dropped significantly from Sh2,700 to Sh95, making the lifesaving drug more affordable and accessible to health facilities.

Paul Nyachae, acknowledged Makueni’s leadership and collaboration in propelling the innovations in the county and beyond.

HOPE FOR THOUSANDS AS MAKUENI UNVEILS SHINE PROJECT FOR DISABILITY INCLUSION AND REHABILITATION CARE

The department of Health Services on Friday hosted the inception meeting for the SHINE Project Kenya, a four-year transformative programme aimed at strengthening rehabilitation healthcare and inclusive social protection systems for persons with disabilities and children with treatable physical conditions.

The project will be implemented through a partnership between the Department of Health Services, CBM Global Disability Inclusion and AIC-CURE Children’s Hospital of Kenya.

It seeks to improve community-based rehabilitation services, enhance access to assistive technology, strengthen Educational Assessment and Resource Centres (EARC), improve disability registration, and build the capacity of rehabilitation staff, Community Health Promoters (CHPs), CHAs and Community Rehabilitation Workers.

Speaking during the meeting, Ag. Director Health Planning and Administration Dr. Chomba emphasized the need to prioritize sustainability from the onset of the project.

He called for improved communication, proper reporting of facility needs and timely supply systems to ensure effective service delivery, while welcoming the project’s strong focus on taking rehabilitation services closer to communities.

MUTULA: POSTPARTUM HEMORRHAGE A ‘POLITICAL FAILURE’ AS MAKUENI RECORDS ZERO MATERNAL DEATHS

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr has termed postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) a “political failure,” saying preventable maternal deaths persist because systems have not prioritized the lives of women.

Speaking on Friday at Kusyombunguo Hotel during a Nation Media Group roundtable on maternal health, the governor noted that PPH remains one of the leading causes of maternal deaths globally, not because it is untreatable, but due to gaps in policy, access and prioritisation.

Governor Mutula, a global advocate in the fight against maternal mortality, recounted Makueni County’s efforts to curb PPH-related deaths. He highlighted the introduction of heat-stable carbetocin, a uterotonic medicine used to contract the uterus and prevent excessive bleeding after childbirth.

At the time the county adopted the drug, it cost Sh2,700 per dose. However, following its uptake and subsequent stocking by the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), the price has dropped significantly to about Sh95.

The governor expressed pride in Makueni’s progress, noting that the county recorded zero maternal deaths in 2023 and 2024, attributing the achievement in part to the use of Heat-Stable Carbetocin and strengthened maternal health interventions.

In Kenya, maternal mortality remains unacceptably high, with an estimated 355 deaths per 100,000 live births, rising to nearly 400 in some parts of East and West Africa.

Nation Media Group CEO Geoffrey Odundo also challenged counties to consider partnering with the private sector on maternal health conversations to leverage on reducing mortality.

To further address the challenge, Jhpiego has partnered with Makueni County to implement targeted interventions aimed at reducing maternal deaths associated with postpartum hemorrhage.

GOVERNOR MUTULA URGES COUNTIES TO PRIORITIZE HEALTH INVESTMENT

Makueni County Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. on Thursday called upon counties to invest more on health noting that Makueni County is redirecting resources towards critical surgical equipment and infrastructure.

Speaking in Mombasa where he was guest speaker during the the Surgical Society of Kenya (SSK) Annual Scientific Conference, the governor, at the same time, urged practitioners to actively engage counties in the budgeting process.

The conference brought together over 400 surgeons, development partners, and health stakeholders to strengthen surgical services under Universal Health Coverage, focusing on coordination, financing, referral systems, and quality improvement.

He highlighted Makueni’s adoption of Proximie technology as a milestone in enhancing surgical care through real-time collaboration, training, and improved patient outcomes, supported by partners including the SSK.

SSK President Dr. Michael Mwachiro called on health practitioners to actively engage in policy spaces and provide data to support increased health budget allocations.

In recognition to his contribution in advancing surgical care, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. was appointed an SSK Honorary Ambassador.

COUNTY, KUCO SIGN DEAL AS RETURN-TO-WORK IMPLEMENTATION IMPROVES

The CECM in charge of Health Services Joyce Mutua on Monday held talks with both representatives from the national and branch officials the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers represented by the national secretary General of KUCO George Kibore and chairman Peterson Wachira to assess the progress of the return to work formula for clinical officers.

Mutua who was accompanied by the departmental Chief Officers’ Harvey Mulei (Human Resource) and Irene Makau (Health Services) noted that the previous week, they held talks with the Kenya Civil Servants to deliberate on similar issues affecting the rest of the cadres within the department of health services.

According to Mulei, the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers had previously rated the implementation of the return to work formula to about 60% and on Monday the officials commended the county for improving on the implementation of the same.

The meeting resulted to an agreement that was cosigned between the union officials and the CECM Joyce Mutua as well as Dr. Harvey Mulei.

Early next week, the department will also host the Kenya Union of Nurses and Midwives to discuss issues relating to their members.

COUNTY TRAINS 30 HEALTH WORKERS TO BOOST MATERNAL AND NEWBORN CARE

The Department of Health Services, in collaboration with the national government, Jacaranda Health and World Vision, has successfully trained 30 healthcare workers drawn from facilities across the county.

The participants, comprising medical officers, clinicians and nurses, underwent an intensive five-day programme at Wote on Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EMONC), after which they were awarded certificates.

The training is aimed at strengthening the capacity of healthcare providers in managing maternal and neonatal health, with a broader goal of reducing maternal and newborn deaths to zero.

Acting Director in charge of Preventive and Promotive Health, Dr. Stephen Mwatha, was present to oversee the initiative.