Safaricom Foundation Constructs Maternity Wing at Chemolingot Sub-County Hospital

 Chemolingot  sub-county hospital in Baringo has benefited from a Kshs. 12.5 million maternity wing, constructed through support from the Safaricom Foundation. The one stop maternity wing consists of a delivery room, a theatre, post and antenatal wards, a newborn unit, a high dependency unit,  three  consultation rooms and a reception. The county government of Baringo has equipped the maternity wing at a cost of Kshs.  8 million through funding from the World Bank.

“Chemolingot is in one of the most vulnerable areas in Baringo County when it comes to maternal health. Through this infrastructural support, we are seeking to reduce and eventually stop the number of referrals to far away facilities,” said Joe Ogutu, the chairman of Safaricom Foundation.

Early this year, Safaricom Foundation in partnership with the County Government of Baringo launched a Kshs. 82 million maternal health programme aimed at reducing maternal and neonatal deaths in the county which stands at  three hundred and seventy five  maternal deaths per every  one hundred thousand  live births and  thirty one  deaths for every one thousand  live births respectively.

Safaricom Foundation’s maternal health programme was launched two years ago and so far, counties in the Coast and Rift Valley regions have benefited from it. Under the programme the foundation set aside Kshs. 132   million to promote maternal, newborn and child health services around the country.

In Lamu, a maternal shelter in Witu and a newborn unit in Faza island were constructed and equipped and are currently serving over two thousand people. In Mombasa County, the newborn and maternity unit at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital has been renovated and equipped.Meanwhile in Uasin Gishu, the newborn unit at Moi Teaching and Referral hospital and the maternity wing at Moiben Sub-County hospital received new equipment from the foundation to improve service delivery.