Kwale County Governor Fatuma Achani has commissioned Sh36.2 million new born units and child health complex at the Msambweni referral hospital.
Achani stated that this development marks a major step in the devolved government’s ongoing efforts to provide accessible and quality health services to all residents.
The governor said this move is a major milestone in the healthcare delivery for children and the vulnerable population in the coastal county.
She said the newborn complex is expected to improve delivery with a wide range of services that will lower infant mortality rates.
The newly commissioned ultramodern unit is expected to significantly reduce neonatal mortality rates in Kwale and improve outcomes for mothers and their babies.
In her address during the commissioning ceremony, Achani said healthcare delivery was a priority of her administration, noting that efforts to upscale healthcare delivery in the coastal county was to improve the health status of the residents.
She said Msambweni referral hospital newborn unit stands as a testament to the county’s unwavering commitment to healthcare service delivery and innovation.
Achani urged the residents to take full advantage of the newborn healthcare facility and assured them of continuous support to maintain and enhance health services.
“Access to modern medical facilities and neonatal care is fundamental to saving lives particularly for children with complications at birth,” she said.
The commissioning ceremony took place at a time Newborn Essential Solution and Technologies (NEST) 360 has donated critical medical equipment to Msambweni referral hospital in a bid to improve neonatal care in the coastal county.
NEST 360 has partnered with Kwale to deliver a bundle of life-saving technologies to help strengthen the capacity of clinicians and biomedical technicians to deliver quality healthcare for newborns.
The governor stated that the devolved government is out to address maternal and newborn health disparities in Kwale and reduce neonatal, child and maternal mortality.
She said the project was funded by M-Pesa Foundation noting that the new facility will go a long way in improving health service delivery and reduce child mortality in the region.
Achani said this initiative marks another step toward achieving universal health coverage and demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships in transforming communities.
“Through successful partnership between Kwale and the M-Pesa Foundation, this new facility is now equipped to provide specialized care for newborns, particularly those delivered prematurely or in need of advanced medical attention,” she said.
The facility includes service components such as 8-bed newborn Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 6-bed High Dependency Unit (HDU), 8-bed preterm room, 8-bed term room, 13-bed Kangaroo room for mother-infant bonding and a 13-bed postnatal room for recovery and ongoing care.
Achani said previously patients depended on private facilities in Mombasa for newborn unit services and expressed her commitment to providing improved quality healthcare to the people with well-developed and requisite infrastructure and equipment.
“This new fully equipped facility will be a game-changer for maternal and child health in Kwale ensuring that our newborns receive the critical care they need,” said Achani.
She added, “This initiative demonstrates the power of collaboration and brings us closer to achieving universal health coverage for all”.
The Governor also expressed gratitude to the M-Pesa Foundation for its unwavering support and urged residents of Kwale to enroll in the Social Health Fund to access affordable healthcare services.
She said Kwale residents can now access advanced neonatal care closer to home, further strengthening the county’s healthcare system.
“We requested support from the Safaricom foundation and they responded well to our call and gave us Sh30 million towards the construction of the newborn unit here in Msambweni hospital,” she said, adding that the county government catered for the remaining Sh6.2 million.
Achani said the county government will keep on engaging the private sector to deliver quality maternal and newborn healthcare services in the realization of universal health coverage.
M-Pesa Foundation Chairman Joseph Ogutu, who was present at the commissioning ceremony, lauded the project’s significance in addressing critical healthcare needs of the people.
He commended the Kwale County government for its dedicated cooperation, partnership and commitment to improving healthcare services in the region.
“Our partnership with Kwale has been instrumental in implementing several transformative projects including the newborn unit which is a testament to what collaboration can achieve,” he said.
Ogutu said that the new facility exemplifies the impact of collaboration in building resilient healthcare systems in the counties and safeguarding the lives of children and families.
By Hussein Abdullahi