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The M-Pesa Foundation has launched two programmes worth Sh162 million for promoting maternal and child healthcare in Homa Bay.
The Sh150 million Uzazi Salama and Sh12 million telemedicine centre were launched on Friday in Ndhiwa and Suba South respectively.
Uzazi Salama is a two-year programme that will boost access to quality maternal health services.
It targets more than 86,400 women and children aged five and below in Homa Bay.
The Uzazi Salama project is being implemented in partnership between M-Pesa Foundation, PharmAccess Africa, AMREF Health Africa, Action Aid, Pathfinder International and Homa Bay government.
M-Pesa Foundation executive director and Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital chairman Les Baille, Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital chief executive officer Robert Nyarango and Homa Bay Governor Cyprian Awiti launched the programmes.
Baillie said they aim at strengthening Homa Bay health systems to support the delivery of quality reproductive, maternal, new-born, child and adolescent healthcare.
He said mothers and new-born children in Homa Bay deserve an equal chance of survival during childbirth.
“We’re hopeful the programmes will encourage mothers and children to access health facilities. We want to improve the quality of delivery for mothers and their babies,” Baillie said.
Homa Bay is one of the counties in Kenya with poor reproductive, maternal, new-born, child and adolescent health indicators.
The launch of the Uzazi Salama programme was marked by laying a foundation stone for construction of a modern maternity wing at Ndhiwa Subcounty Hospital.
Awiti said Ndhiwa and Suba are faced with various challenges and need proper maternal healthcare.
“We are still battling teenage pregnancies, especially during childbirth because biologically, their bodies are not ready to welcome a child,” he said.
The governor said their partnership with Safaricom and AMREF Health Africa will not only educate on safe sex and childbirth, but also to reduce maternal and child deaths.
The telemedicine programme was launched at Sindo Subcounty Hospital, it is also called Daktari Smart.
Nyarango said the initiative targets not only children in Suba but across Homa Bay.
“There is need to reduce child mortality rate and save future generations,” he said.
The governor urged residents to take advantage of the programme to address their health challenges.
“Homa Bay has a health burden, hence we want our people to help us fight diseases by seeking medication at the facility, without fear,” he said.
With telemedicine, medical services can be provided remotely through video call where a doctor can make a diagnosis with the help of a specialist located in another town.
Daktari Smart aims to address delays in receiving adequate healthcare in rural and underserved areas.
This means patients who spend time and money to travel long distances to urban areas to seek medical care can get it at their local health facility.
“We’re trying to improve roads around Suba and other places to make the hospital accessible,” the governor said.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)