Maternal healthcare project launched in Nairobi

A pilot project aimed at improving maternal healthcare in Mathare North Health Centre in Nairobi where an average of two mothers die daily has been launched.

The initiative, Philips “Fabric of Africa” campaign, will result in the multinational healthcare company donating a modern ultrasound machine worth Sh2.5 million to the health centre located in the sprawling Mathare slums where about 150 deliveries occur on a monthly basis.

Speaking after the signing of the agreement at Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi, Kasarani district medical boss Dr Moses Owino said the machine will enable health workers to effectively monitor potential complications among pregnant women.

“The machine will enable health workers to monitor up to 25 women daily at a subsidised cost of Sh20 per person charged as registration fees.

“The cost of accessing similar services in private health facilities costs from an average of Sh4,500 onwards,” Dr Owino said.

Dr Owino said maternal deaths in the sprawling slum currently stands at 705 per 100,000 compared to the national rate of 488 per 100,000.

“In Kenya, we need to accelerate strategies to reduce maternal deaths in line with the UN Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5."

In MDGs 4 and 5, the United Nations calls on Kenya and other countries to reduce by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015 the under-five mortality rate and maternal death rate.

Dr Owino said the health centre currently serves 60,000 residents from the slum area. The medic also warned that non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes were on the rise in the area and urged people to undergo regular medical check-ups.

According to experts, globally, complications from pregnancy and childbirth contribute to 358,000 maternal deaths annually with 99 per cent of the deaths occurring in Kenya and developing countries especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

Philips chief executive (Africa) Juan Dongen said the company was partnering with the Ministry of Health in the improvement of healthcare provision by providing medical equipment and infrastructure in public health facilities.

“Last year for example, we supplied 60 ultrasound machines to various public health facilities countrywide.

“In the current programme, we plan to supply the machines to health centres in a move to boost decentralisation of services to the grassroots,” Mr Dongen said.

Mr Dongen said in the last 60 years, the company has supplied assorted medical equipment which include ultrasound and foetal machines, Medical Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners, X-rays, Intensive Care Unit equipment and ambulances in public health facilities.

“We have also installed solar lighting to boost security especially in the slums to enable mothers to access services at public clinics and health centres," he said.

Mr Dongen said the pilot project is expected to improve the diagnosis on pregnant women while preventing complications from occurring at the grassroots.

He announced that the screening programme (Mama ni Uhai Women’s healthcare scanning) which will begin in May in the health centre will later be rolled out countrywide.