The Safaricom Foundation in partnership with Kiambu County Government, has formally opened a renovated outpatient wing for maternity services at Rironi Health Centre. The Foundation constructed and renovated the facility at a total cost of Ksh. 3.6 million with the County Government set to equip it.
The initiative is part of the Safaricom Foundation’s program to increase access to quality maternal and child health services in the country. The Rironi Health Centre outpatient wing is now able to house to more than one hundred and fifty (150) patients per day.
In 2018, Safaricom Foundation launched its Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Program. This was necessitated by statistics which showed a maternal mortality rate of 362 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births and an infant mortality rate of 31 deaths per 1,000 live births.
The Foundation has invested in several Counties including Baringo, Lamu and Bomet, addressing areas where there is the highest need. These maternal health investments have been done in partnership with the respective County Governments.
In January this year, the Safaricom Foundation launched an Ksh. 82 million Maternal, Newborn and Child Health program in Baringo County with an aim of reducing the high mother and child deaths that occur in the county. The investment was made to the Baringo County Hospital and Barwessa Health Centre which have benefitted from infrastructure support funded by Safaricom Foundation.
Under the Safaricom Foundation’s maternal health program, the foundation set aside Ksh. 132 million to promote maternal, newborn and child health services around the country.