{"id":45275,"date":"2024-05-27T12:03:12","date_gmt":"2024-05-27T12:03:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/index.php\/2024\/05\/27\/investment-in-maternal-healthcare-in-kirinyaga-pays-off-as-more-mothers-access-skilled-delivery\/"},"modified":"2024-05-27T12:03:12","modified_gmt":"2024-05-27T12:03:12","slug":"investment-in-maternal-healthcare-in-kirinyaga-pays-off-as-more-mothers-access-skilled-delivery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/investment-in-maternal-healthcare-in-kirinyaga-pays-off-as-more-mothers-access-skilled-delivery\/","title":{"rendered":"Investment in maternal healthcare in Kirinyaga pays off as more mothers access skilled delivery"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The e<\/span>stablishment of a maternity wing<\/span> at <\/span>South<\/span> <\/span>Ngari<\/span>a<\/span>ma<\/span> Health<\/span> Center<\/span>, in <\/span>Mwea<\/span>, <\/span>Kirinyaga<\/span><\/strong> County has turned out to be one of the most impactful projects implemented by the County Government in the recent past.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n

The ward that was opened in October last year<\/span> by Governor Anne Waiguru, has become a haven for expectant mothers who now have a conducive environment to deliver their babies under the care of skilled birth attendants. <\/span><\/p>\n

Provision of s<\/span>killed <\/span>care at birth <\/span>is considered the <\/span>single most<\/span> important strategy in preventing n<\/span>eonatal morbidity and mortality <\/span>thus contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals on health. <\/span><\/p>\n

South <\/span>Ngariama<\/span> healt<\/span>h <\/span>facility that is situated<\/span> in the far flung <\/span>Mwea<\/span> East <\/span>Subcounty<\/span>, serves a whopping population of 7,000 residents <\/span>drawn from villages such as Morgan, <\/span>Ikulungu<\/span>, <\/span>Itangi<\/span>, <\/span>Kadawa<\/span>, <\/span>Miatuini<\/span>, <\/span>Makuti<\/span> and <\/span>Kiumbu<\/span>. Before its establishment, residents used to cover long distances to seek services in hospitals such as <\/span>Gathigiriri<\/span>, <\/span>Kimbimbi<\/span> and <\/span>Murinduko<\/span>,<\/span> almost 10 kilometers away. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Five Months after the <\/span>maternity wing was opened<\/span>, <\/span>over 60<\/span> <\/span>successful deliveries have been conducted ther<\/span>e. A<\/span>bout 250<\/span> women have sought antenatal clinic services, representing a substantial rise from the previous wholes year\u2019s attendance of 229 women. Postnatal clinic attendance has <\/span>also <\/span>risen<\/span> to 359 mothers, compared to a mere 107 in 2022. Additionally, 658 women have<\/span> accessed family planning services at the facility.<\/span><\/p>\n

Governor Anne Waiguru<\/span> has<\/span> hailed the maternity ward<\/span> as a game-changer for mothers emphasizing the <\/span>importance<\/span> of <\/span>providing <\/span>accessible and affordable maternal and neonatal serv<\/span>ices as a way of<\/span> preventing home births and reducing mortality rates.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe South <\/span>Ngariama<\/span> Maternity wing offers comprehensive services, including antenatal, postnatal, and mother and child health services. Our specialists ensure continuous care for both mothers and children up to five years after delivery,\u201d stated Governor Waiguru.<\/span><\/p>\n

Evelyn <\/span>Kahare<\/span>, the Nurse-in-charge noted a marked increase in patient numbers since the maternity wing was launched compared to the previous year, attributing this surge to heightened awareness of the services offered by the facility.<\/span> She <\/span>emphasized the importance of the maternity wing in averting potential home births. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMothers used to journey from South <\/span>Ngariama<\/span> to distant locations like <\/span>Kiumbu<\/span>, <\/span>Murinduko<\/span>, <\/span>Gathigiriri<\/span>, or <\/span>Kimbimbi<\/span>. The 51 deliveries we\u2019ve conducted would most likely have ended up as home births were it not for this facility. We aspire to achieve zero home deliveries as Governor Anne Waiguru has empowered us with specialists and skilled personnel to serve the community,\u201d <\/span>she noted.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Th<\/span>e success story of this project cannot be told <\/span>without the <\/span>mention of <\/span>Community Health Promoters (CHPs)<\/span>. They play a critical role in<\/span> provision of primary healthcare <\/span>since they are the link <\/span>between t<\/span>he community and the health facility. <\/span> The CHPs attached to this facility have <\/span>been identifying e<\/span>xpectant mothers within their villages and ensuring that they attend the minimum required antenatal clinics and also deliver in hospital. They also make follow-ups to ensure that th<\/span>e mothers <\/span>attend postnatal clinics and that their babies are immunized accordingly. <\/span><\/p>\n

Phyllis <\/span>Karinga<\/span>, a CHP attached to the facility said that they have been doing a lot of sensitization among mothers and the community at large as far as health matters are concerned. \u201cMothers in this region <\/span>previously had<\/span> a challenge <\/span>whereby many of them gave birth at home,<\/span> but<\/span> that has changed with the opening of the m<\/span>aternity wing<\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>The distance to the health facilities was the biggest challenge; before getting there, you\u2019d find th<\/span>e mother has already delivered.<\/span> <\/span>G<\/span>iving birth at home had detrimental results such as infection, stillbirths, excessive bleeding, and eve<\/span>n maternal and infant mortality.\u201d <\/span>Karinga<\/span> noted.<\/span> <\/span>She <\/span>also <\/span>thanked the County Government for the recent training offered to them as well as the monthly stipend they are now rece<\/span>iving, saying it <\/span>has gone a long way in boosting their morale.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stephen <\/span>Kinyua<\/span>, a village elder, reiterated the sentiments expressed by the community health promoter. He pointed out the dire situation prior to the facility\u2019s establishment, <\/span>saying that their village is now changed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another beneficiary of the m<\/span>aternity wing, <\/span>Emily <\/span>Wanjiku<\/span>, <\/span>said that the facility was the best gift to mothers in the area.<\/span> <\/span>\u201cThe facility has facilitated all <\/span>my <\/span>eight antenatal clinics. Prior to its operationalization, I would spend <\/span>Kshs<\/span>. 800 traveling to hospitals in <\/span>Murinduko<\/span>, <\/span>Kiumbu<\/span>, or <\/span>Kimbimbi<\/span> <\/span>from <\/span>Ngumano<\/span> area<\/span>. Now, I<\/span> spend as little as <\/span>Kshs<\/span>. 200 <\/span>to access the facility<\/span>. The doctors provide excellent services, and we are eve<\/span>n provided with a balanced diet.<\/span>\u201d <\/span>Wanjiku<\/span> said.<\/span><\/p>\n

South <\/span>Ngarima<\/span> Health Center is one of Governor <\/span>Waiguru\u2019<\/span>s<\/span> projects aimed at<\/span> strengthening primary health systems in the county, with 20 dispensary projects having been undertaken within the last three years. <\/span><\/p>\n

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The post Investment in maternal healthcare in Kirinyaga pays off as more mothers access skilled delivery<\/a> first appeared on KBC<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The establishment of a maternity wing at South Ngariama Health Center, in Mwea, Kirinyaga County has turned out to be one of the most impactful projects implemented by the County Government in the recent past. The ward that was opened in October last year by Governor Anne Waiguru, has become a haven for expectant mothers […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45275","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45275","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45275"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45275\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45275"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45275"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45275"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}