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First Lady Margaret Kenyatta donates mobile clinic to Marsabit County

First Lady Margaret Kenyatta joins traditional dancers during the official handing over ceremony of the 9th Beyond Zero mobile clinic to Marsabit County on Monday, October 3, 2014. PHOTO | PSCU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By  Lucas Barasa

What you need to know:

  • The mobile clinic was bought by Kenya Pipeline Company.
  • In Kenya, 376 out of 100,000 babies die at infancy.
  • The First Lady was recently named the United Nations 2014 Person of the Year.
  • The First Lady participated and completed the 21km and 42km marathon races which were recently held in Nairobi and London respectively.

First Lady Margaret Kenyatta took her campaign to reduce maternal and child deaths to Marsabit County on Monday.

Mrs Kenyatta was received at Marsabit stadium at 11.30am and was received by Governor Ukur Yattani and his wife, Gumato, County Commissioner Peter Thuku, Health executive Alio Ibrahim Adan and other leaders.

Mrs Kenyatta, who donated mobile clinics to eight counties, also gave one to Marsabit.

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It was bought by the Kenya Pipeline Company.

On arrival, the First Lady, who was accompanied by her chief of staff, Constance Gakonyo, and Medical Services Director Nicholas Muraguri, was taken to various medical stands in the stadium.

The Beyond Zero Foundation was started this year and aims at complementing the government’s efforts in reducing maternal and child deaths.

CHILD AND MATERNAL HEALTH

It is part of the initiatives outlined in Mrs Kenyatta’s strategic framework towards HIV control and the promotion of maternal, new-born and child health.

In Kenya, 376 out of 100,000 babies die at infancy.

While 76 per cent of the country’s nursing workforce has basic training in midwifery, only 13 per cent had advanced training.

The First Lady was recently named the United Nations 2014 Person of the Year.

The Ministry of Health says this is part of the its effort to increase access to skilled birth attendance in support of the government’s new policy to provide free maternity services and the launch of the Beyond Zero Campaign, which aims to mobilise resources from various sectors to assist in improving maternal and child health in the 47 Counties.

As part of the initiative, the First Lady participated and completed the 21km and 42km marathon races recently held in Nairobi and London, respectively.

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