First Lady Margaret Kenyatta’s Beyond Zero initiative has received a Sh130 million grant from the Slovak government to boost its campaign against fistula.
The Sh130 million grant, channeled to Beyond Zero through the Slovak Aid, was signed on Wednesday at the Slovak Embassy in Nairobi by Ambassador František Dlhopolček and Beyond Zero Coordinator Angella Langat.
The grant is part of ongoing support the Slovak Government has been giving l Kenya's health sector.
Previously, the Slovak Government supported cardiac surgeries on 10 children with complex congenital heart diseases, performed by Slovak doctors in partnership with their counterparts at Mater Hospital in Nairobi in March 2019, an event that was witnessed by First Lady Margaret Kenyatta.
This was followed in July last year by a donation of Sh26 million Covid-19 response supplies that included testing kits, personal protective equipment, respirators, sanitizer, clothing and shoes to the Office of the First Lady.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Ambassador Dlhopolček said his office looked forward to working more closely with the Beyond Zero initiative especially in addressing the plight of women suffering from fistula.
“This is the first Beyond Zero project that will be financed by the Slovak Aid. But I think this is the beginning because in our policy, Kenya belongs to the priority countries for Slovak development cooperation.
“We are looking forward to cooperate more closely with Beyond Zero because we appreciate what you are doing and we consider Her Excellency the First Lady as a mentor of our cooperation,” Ambassador Dlhopolček said.
He singled out health, agriculture and education as his country’s main areas of focus in Kenya.
On her part, Langat appreciated the financial support extended to Beyond Zero, saying it will go a long way towards treating women suffering from fistula.
“We will allocate the funds to a fistula camp that will be done in the north where the burden of fistula is high because of inadequate access to health facilities and poverty,” Langat said.
The signing of the grant was witnessed by Slovak Deputy Head of Mission Kamila Kukova and Ms Vivianne Ngugi, the Head of Communication in the Office of the First Lady.
Every year, an estimated 3,000 Kenyan women develop fistula and to date, at least 30,000 are living with the condition classified as a disability.
Obstetric fistula is a severe injury which occurs mostly due to prolonged obstructed labour. It is common for women who deliver without skilled attendants.
It creates an opening between the urinary tract and vagina, or between the vagina as the colon/rectum.
This causes uncontrolled, continuous leakage of urine and/or fecal matter.
The condition is treatable through corrective surgery available in a few hospitals. Only eight surgeons are active in fistula work.
Surgery costs about Sh75,000 at KNH and as much as Sh500,000 at the Nairobi Hospital.
