Skip to content Skip to left sidebar Skip to footer

Departments

Partnership sees more NCDs patients seek medical attention

Over 6000 hypertension and diabetes patients across the county have been screened, with 2000 of them already enrolled to digital-health enabled mode of care in a bid to provide an integrated end-to -end solution for Non-Communicable Diseases burden in Makueni.
 
This is as a result of a 2-year public private partnership that was signed 7 months ago by the County government of Makueni, Novartis Social Business, Medtronic Labs and Management Sciences for Health geared towards combating NCDs in the county.
 
Several community health workers and volunteers, as part of capacity building and strengthening of the health system, have been trained on Ministry of Health’s NCD clinical training as well as using the Empower Health System, a digital platform for managing and monitoring patients.
 
During a review meeting on the implementation status of the MoU, chaired by Makueni county Governor Kivutha Kibwana and attended by representatives from the parties on Tuesday in Wote, the County health department reported nine out of ten initially planned health facilities are operational with Empower Health system.
 
The facilities include Makindu, Matiliku, Mukuyuni, Kibwezi, Kisau, Mbooni, Tawa, Sultan-Hamud and Mtito-Andei Sub-County hospitals.
 
According to the County Health Director Medical Services Dr. Stephen Ndolo, plans are underway to connect the Makueni County Referral and Kambu Sub-County Hospitals to the digital care platform.
 
The parties are working to scaling up the program to reach out to more people and reduce on the hospital deaths caused by NCDs.

Kasikeu Residents Receive Title deeds

At least 3,178 households from Kasikeu ward, Kilome constituency, are now the new holders of title deeds after a 28-year agonizing wait.

The residents were handed over the land ownership documents by governor Kivutha Kibwana and County Commissioner Maalim Mohammed at Kasikeu township Wednesday.

The Kasikeu adjudication section was established in 1992, covering Kiou, Wathini, Mutiswa and Mumela sections.

The issuance of the title deeds, governor Kibwana and Maalim said, was catalyzed by the One-Government-Approach of administration in Makueni county where the national and county governments work harmoniously where necessary.

The county government has facilitated the exercise by paying the processing fees and the issuance exercise.

Traders tipped to make Millions from Devolution Conference

Traders in Makueni are readying themselves for the business whirlwind expected from the 7th national devolution conference to be staged in Wote, Makueni, in April.

The traders, drawn from several sectors of the economy such as Hotel industry, Transport, hawkers, garment traders among others were on Wednesday coached on how to reap maximum business opportunities from the event.

The induction conference for the traders held at Wote, and graced by Governor Kivutha Kibwana was sponsored by the county government in partnership with the Council of Governors (CoG).

At least 8,000 delegates are expected to attend the devolution conference, posing a huge business opportunity for local traders and even from neighboring counties.

Governor Kibwana said his administration is working with KeRRA and other stakeholders to make the event a success.

From Squatters to Land Owners

At least 1,012 households from Wayani, within Nguu Settlement Scheme can now rest easy after receiving tittle deeds to their parcels of land.

The issuance of the title deeds brings to an end a 25-year land ownership battle between people initially considered squatters and members of Nguu Ranch Cooperative Society who claimed the settlement scheme was their ancestral land.

Efforts to settle the land ownership dispute has run through the years since 1995 when a survey was conducted but hit a snag, at times giving way to bloodletting, evictions and grabbing by hawk-eyed cartels with backing from the lands offices.

In 2018, the Makueni county government, in consultation with Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning and the National Land Commission established a joint taskforce to spearhead efforts towards ending the dispute and pave way for issuance of title deeds.

The county government funded the whole exercise at a cost of Sh 29 million.

On Wednesday, the Wayani residents, occupying a 7,341-acre piece of land were all smiles as they lined up at Matutu shopping centre to collect their title deeds.

The ceremony was graced by governor Kivutha Kibwana, NLC vice chair Gertrude Nduku Nguku and county commissioner Maalim Mohammed.

Commissioner Nduku commended the out of court dispute resolution mechanism spearheaded by Kibwana’s administration to resolve this conflict, saying it will be replicated all over the country as it had proven the most effective.

Residents from the Nguu section of the settlement scheme (26,472 acres) will soon receive their title deeds, now at the titling stage.

Makueni Universal Health Care receives Funding to boost medical supplies

The Makueni Universal Health Care programme has received a Sh 100 million funding boost from the Ministry of Health to increase the supply of essential medicines and supplies.
 
The funding, which will be disbursed annually through Kenya Medical Supplies Authority, will complement the county’s essential medicine and supplies budgetary allocation to ensure that all the public health facilities are sufficiently stocked.
This was revealed on Monday during the signing of the Intergovernmental Participation Agreement on the implementation of universal health coverage in Kenya between the National Government through the Ministry of Health and the county government of Makueni.
 
The agreement was signed by Governor Kivutha Kibwana and Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki at Afya House in Nairobi.
 
According to the deal, the county will also receive two special portable medical clinics to provide medical services within the informal settlements and hard to reach areas within the county.
 
The Ministry of Health, as part of the agreement, will facilitate the placement of 107 interns through the Public Service Commission in collaboration with the Makueni County Public Service Board, to offer services at Level 2 and 3 facilities.

Makueni Hawkers Redefining Wealth Creation By Ordinary Folk

In 2015, the Makueni County Government spearheaded formation of the Makueni Hawkers Sacco bringing together all hawkers based in the county.

The Sacco, with 1,500 members then, was registered in February the same year and awarded two lorries as seed capital to ease transportation of their merchandise and to enhance wealth creation.

With a monthly savings of at least Sh 120,000 a month, and a membership of 2051 as of today, the Sacco has acquired a new lorry, and aims at acquiring three more such that each sub-county chapter has its own.

The new lorry was unveiled on Wednesday by governor Kivutha Kibwana, who pledged his government’s support in the acquisition of the planned trucks.

The Sacco, which has also ventured into loaning its members, had a loan portfolio of Sh 4.6 million as of December 30th 2018 audit report.

The Sacco, according to its leadership, also intends to venture into real estate development and water hawking through purchase of a water bowser as ways of business diversification.

Makueni Launches Campaign to Rescue Mango Farmers from Pests

Mango actors in the country have launched a rigorous campaign towards establishment of Fruit Fly Free Zones (FFFZ) in Makueni County.

The campaign, launched at Kwakathoka Wednesday, provides an opportunity for the various actors in the mango value chain to interact and kick off activities geared towards reduction of mango losses due to fruit fly infestation in Makueni County and in Kenya at large.

The campaign also aims at sensitizing and creating awareness on fruit fly control and to create pest free areas. The outcomes of this campaign is expected to stimulate mango export and increase incomes for mango farmers and other value chain actors.

The campaign is driven by the county government, USAID, Feed the Future, Rockefeller foundation, and the Kenyan national government through various agro agencies.

The partners to this campaign have unveiled a raft of measures which will ensure a successful campaign, which include:

Working with five Integrated Pest Management technology providers and two mango cooperatives to promote adoption of IPM best practices;

The campaign will also involve training of 10,000 farmers, training 100 agro dealers and setting up of a distribution system, establishment of 120 demonstration orchards as well as holding 80 field days across the county.

94 needy pupils secure county scholarships

At least 94 needy pupils from Makueni who sat their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education in 2019 have secured full scholarships to their secondary schools of admission courtesy of the county government of Makueni.

Each of the 94 beneficiaries will receive Shs 70,000 per year for tuition, uniform and books while their families will cater for personal effects.

Governor Kivutha Kibwana who issued scholarship cheques to the beneficiaries on Monday at ATC-Kwakathoka termed the programme a lifeline for most vulnerable and bright children in the society.

“The Makueni County Scholarship support programme has proved to be a lifeline to many bright children who would have ended up in poorly resourced schools that cannot provide them quality education,” said Kibwana.

“Were it not for this programme, others would have ended up as casual laborers with a bleak future despite their stellar performance in national exams,” he further noted.

Kibwana said the county government is currently supporting 362 students in the scholarship programme for both continuing and the new students since its inception in 2014.

He said besides the 94 scholarships, his administration will spend Sh 18 million for bursaries to needy students in both secondary and tertiary institutions in the 2019/2020 Financial Year.

Powering Makueni

Makueni is set to benefit from an enticing renewable energy deal that will drive its industrial vision sustainably.

The deal involves setup of a LED lighting project in the county in a tripartite Public-Private-Partnership agreement bringing together the government (Makueni County), the private sector (SOLAFRIQUE, a limited company) and the academia (Strathmore University and Lukenya University).

The five-year deal was signed on Tuesday at Strathmore Business School by Governor Kivutha Kibwana, senator Sylvia Kasanga of Lukenya University, Solafrique Chief Executive Officer Lois Gicheru and Hildah Mugire, Vice Dean, Academic and Student Affairs-Strathmore University.

With support from the two universities and the county government, Solafrique will setup the LED lighting project in the county; Light of towns and streets within Makueni County with products from the plant; Design and installation of energy efficient solutions in all public institutions in Makueni County.

This includes but is not limited to installing LED bulbs in the institutions and installing off grid or on grid solar systems; Provision of Jobs for youth; and Provision of energy efficient solutions.

Lukenya University will provide site for the LED lighting project; offer its campus to be used for training purposes; Provide training site for energy-water-food nexus solutions; and assist Makueni County Government in the development of a skill based curriculum.

On its part, Strathmore University will assist in development of a county energy plan; Development of county policy and law on energy; Training of county managers on energy matters and technical and non-technical training to officers and training of ToTs.

The University will also offer technical guidance on establishment of a renewable energy centre for the county; Training of technical training institutions within the county on renewable energy courses; Research on renewable energy and efficient energy solutions in the county; and carry out a County Energy Audit.

Kibwana signs Cancer Care Deal with Two International Cancer Organizations

Governor Kivutha Kibwana has signed a cancer management deal with two international cancer organizations which will position the county as a centre of excellence in cancer care.

The deal, signed Thursday at Wote, brings together the International Cancer Institute (ICI) and Roche Kenya Limited (a leading pharmaceuticals and tissue-based cancer diagnostics company) to partner with Makueni on cancer and other Non-Communicable Diseases management.

The deal seeks to undertake an integrated care model in the county for; breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, lymphomas, hypertension, diabetes, and mental health at the primary health care level through the referral system to the Makueni County Referral Hospital.


The two organizations will support Makueni CRH as a treatment center for oncology services and a comprehensive screening and outreach center for the same.

International Cancer Institute Chief Executive Officer Prof. Chite Asirwa, a cancer and blood specialist who signed the partnership for ICI said the organization will provide on a rotation basis mentors: 1 oncologist, 1 gynecologic oncologist, 1-2 surgical oncologists, 1 pathologist, 1 medical officer, 2-3 clinical officers, 2-3 nurse educators, 1 community liaison, and 6 community health promoters to support the Makueni treatment centre.

He said the partnership will emphasize on accessible and affordable cancer prevention, cure and improved quality management for those living with the condition, which he says has been elusive and the reason many Kenyans fly to India and other far off destinations for treatment.

Governor Kibwana said the deal will save many residents of Makueni the agony of having to sleep on the floors of Kenyatta National Hospital as they queue for cancer treatment or selling assets to fly out of the country in search of such services.

He said the deal for set up of cancer treatment centres in counties was brokered by the County First Ladies Association (CFLA) chaired by his spouse Nazi Kivutha who was present during the signing of the partnership agreement.

Data from the department of Health Services in Makueni show the county has a high prevalence of hypertension and diabetes, a growing burden of cervical, prostate and breast cancer as well as sickle cell disease and unchecked mental health issues.

The Makueni CRH registered 253 cases of the above illnesses combined between July 2015 and June 2019.