NGO Sensitizes Health Services Committee 

Members of the committee on Health and Sanitation Services was hosted by Jacaranda Health Solutions in a meeting aimed at sensitizing the legislators on redesigning maternal and newborn service delivery.

The approach dubbed tutunze (take care of us) is a cross sectoral strategy led by Kakamega County that tests how to improve maternal and newborn survival by shifting where and when mothers access.

Redesigning focuses on improving the distribution of financing, staff equipment, beds and medicines to ensure that women receive high quality and mothers deliver to well-functioning hospitals across the county.

An improvement phase is currently underway in Lumakanda, Malava and Butere Sub-Counties including skilled health care provisions and renovations to the infrastructure and equipment within the facilities.

Speaking during the official opening of the meeting, the Chief Officer of Medical Services, Hon. George Mukodo applauded the move saying that the County is committed to ensure that health facilities are improved towards raising mothers’ demand for a quality health system in the county.

“As a county we will ensure best practices are achieved by ensuring best practices through provision of a comprehensive care for maternal and newborn in the county,” said the Chief Officer.

Despite increased utilization of facilities for childbirth, decline in maternal and neonatal

mortality and morbidity has stagnated in many low-and middle-income countries.

Hon. Bernard Omboko who chairs the committee commended the move saying it will help make healthcare accessible to everyone stressed on the need for proper financing and adequate skilled staff.

“To project sustainability, I want to urge our partner to improve on planning and budget making process to ensure enough resources to help achieve significant outcome for the mothers and babies,” he said.

Mr. Victor Bwire, the head of programs at Jacaranda Health Solutions outlined the gaps and challenges encountered across a mother’s journey through the health system, including poor availability and coordination of affordable emergency transport options, limited maternity bed capacity and critical hospital infrastructure and shortages of skilled medical officers and obstetricians capable of delivering timely, advanced and dignified care to mothers.

Jacaranda Health is a maternal health

non-profit based in Kenya which helps end preventable maternal and newborn deaths by deploying low-cost, sustainable solutions that improve the quality of care in government health systems.

It has partnered with governments to deploy affordable and scalable solutions through government hospitals, where the majority of underserved mothers and babies receive care.

The improvement phase is currently underway, with critical facility improvements triggering

a shift in demand generation activities.

This offers a springboard to begin the implementation phase in June 2022, whereby facilities and care-support services, such as transportation and blood supply, are aligned with the new model of care.

The Kakamega investment is aimed at reducing County’s maternal and neonatal mortality from 316/100,000 and 19/1000 live births respectively to progressively meet SDG targets of 70/100000 and 12/1000 in 5 years.

If successful, the ambition is to see SDR adopted - by both stakeholders and county leadership - as an evidence-based approach to resolving pain points across the health system, marrying health system change with increased internal resources, and increasing

opportunities for legacy projects through capital expenditure.

Also present was Director of Health, Dr Linnet Elemenya, Mr. Victor Musiola of Jacaranda Health Solutions and officers from County General Hospital (CGH).