Mrs Tessie Mudavadi, wife of Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, on Sunday donated eight incubators from her infant pre-term aid programme, Okoa Malaika, to medical facilities in Kilifi, Lamu, Tana River, and Garissa Counties.
She handed over the donations to senior officials from the four counties, including Lamu Governor Issa Timamy and Kilifi Deputy Governor Flora Mbetsa Chibule, during the World Prematurity Day celebrations at the Malindi Sub County Hospital.
Okoa Malaika is an infant pre-term mitigation programme that distributes neonatal equipment to medical facilities across Kenya to ensure the well-being of mothers and children.
According to Mrs Mudavadi, the programme, implemented under the office of the Spouse to the Prime Cabinet Secretary with support from partners such as the Mudavadi Memorial Foundation and Ushiriki Wema, among others, has reached 20 counties so far.
In her speech, Mrs Mudavadi highlighted the neonatal mortality rate in Kenya, which she said stands at 22 deaths per 1,000 live births, with many of the deaths attributed to pre-term births.
She enumerated the challenges families faced in accessing specialized neonatal care, including limited healthcare facilities, resource constraints and geographical barriers.
“With the donation of these incubators to the respective counties, however minuscule it may be, we as Okoa Malaika are taking a crucial step towards ensuring that pre-term infants receive the care and stability they need in those critical early days,” Mrs Mudavadi said.
She at the same time urged Kenyans to support the new health insurance programme under the Social Health Authority (SHA), aimed at achieving Universal Health Coverage for all citizens.
“As a nation, we are transitioning into a new health insurance platform; my humble request is that everyone plays their part and gives it all the support it requires for its intended impact to be realized,” she added.
Lamu Governor Issa Timamy echoed her sentiments, acknowledging the challenges faced in rolling out the Social Health Authority (SHA) but urging patience and support from Kenyans.
“All of us in the health sector have a duty to educate wananchi. All health departments in our counties should organize themselves and ensure that SHA is successful in our counties and the country in general,” he said.
Governor Timamy also praised Mrs Mudavadi for her donation, noting that pre-term infants are often forgotten and need special care.
Kilifi Deputy Governor Flora Chibule stressed the seriousness of preterm births, highlighting the need for adequate care to enable premature children to live healthy lives.
“Unfortunately, some of these children die each year due to complications of early birth, and many survivors face a lifetime of disability, including learning disabilities and visual or hearing problems,” she said.
She noted that in Kilifi County, an average of 1,600 babies are born prematurely each year, translating to four per cent of live births.