Baringo County Hospital has opened the new maternal high dependency unit and newborn unit built by the Safaricom Foundation at a combined cost of Ksh. 11 million. The initiative is part of the Foundation’s program to increase access to quality maternal and child health services.
The newly built units will see the hospital increase its bed capacity at the Maternal High Dependency Unit from the current 8 beds to 36. It has also been equipped with patient monitors and a heating system.
“I would like to thank our partners, the County Government of Baringo, for their support in this maternal health program. We commit to work together to deliver the objectives that we have set out to achieve to improve the lives of mothers and children in this county,” said Rita Okuthe, Safaricom Foundation Trustee.
Last year, the Safaricom Foundation also supported Baringo County’s Barwessa Health Centre and Chemolingot Sub-County hospital. This was achieved by upgrading their newborn and maternity units respectively.
In January last year, Safaricom Foundation launched a Ksh. 82 million Maternal, Newborn and Child Health program in Baringo County with an aim of reducing the high mother and child mortality rate in the county. The Kenya Demographic Health Survey shows that the county loses 375 mothers for every 100,000 births and 31 infants for every 1,000 births.
Safaricom Foundation’s maternal health program was launched in 2019 and so far, Counties in the Coast and Rift Valley regions have benefited from it. Under the program, the Foundation set aside Ksh. 132 million to promote maternal, newborn and child health services around the country.