First Lady opens Sh500m maternity in Nakuru

The First Lady Margaret Kenyatta is in Nakuru presiding over the opening of Sh500m state-of-the-art maternal and newborn unit at the Nakuru Level Five Hospital.

The new maternal wing is the biggest in the larger Rift Valley region and is set to serve residents from Nakuru, Bomet, Baringo, Narok, Kericho, Samburu, Laikipia and Nyandarua counties.

The superintendent, Dr Joseph Mburu, said the wing has a bed capacity of 250.

“The wing is a standalone facility because it has four modern theatres with shade-less lamps, an intensive care unit, a pharmacy, laboratory, an imaging centre, antenatal and postnatal clinics,” said Dr Mburu.

The First Lady is opening the facility as part of her initiative to improve maternal and child health.

Ms Kenyatta has been in the forefront dedicating resources to compliment the government’s efforts to reduce maternal and child deaths through several campaigns.

The wing is the second biggest in the country after Pumwani in Nairobi.

The works started in April last year and were supervised by the Public Works ministry.

Children born with complications will get specialised care at the neonatal intensive care unit. The unit will also promote Kangaroo mother care programme for those born prematurely.

Other services to be offered include child clinic, immunisation and family planning.

The opening comes when Nakuru’s oldest facility, Bondeni maternity, got a facelift last month in a move aimed at easing congestion at the Nakuru County Referral Hospital.

Nakuru County government has also set aside Sh16 million for the construction of a theatre at the maternity established in 1952.

The health department in Nakuru got the lion’s share of Governor Lee Kinyanjui’s Sh15 billion 2018/19 budget. The department was allocated nearly 36 percent of the budget.