Six counties in the Nyanza and Western regions of Kenya are set to benefit from improved newborn care following the handover of neonatal incubators under the Okoa Malaika programme. The equipment, donated by Ushiriki Wema Foundation, aims to support premature and critically ill babies, addressing gaps in facilities where health workers may lack the equipment needed to save newborn lives. This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance newborn care in the region.
The neonatal incubators were handed over during Phase Nine of the programme at Lumumba Sub-County Hospital in Kisumu. Foundation chairperson Tessie Musalia emphasized that the incubators represented more than medical equipment, offering vulnerable newborns a better chance of survival. She called on beneficiary counties and hospitals to ensure the equipment was properly installed, maintained, and supported by trained health workers.
The latest phase of the programme targets Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay, Kisii, Nyamira, and Migori counties, extending support to facilities serving mothers and newborns across the region. This expansion aims to strengthen newborn care services in these counties, ultimately reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths. The programme aligns with Kenya's Every Woman, Every Newborn, Everywhere acceleration plan.
Kisumu First Lady Dorothy Nyong’o welcomed the intervention, noting that referral hospitals serve families beyond county boundaries, including patients from neighbouring counties and across the borders with Uganda and Tanzania. She emphasized that strengthening newborn services at the facility would benefit families far beyond Kisumu. Nyong’o urged health teams to use the donated equipment effectively and sustain improvements through training and mentorship.
The handover of neonatal incubators comes at a critical time as Kenya pursues its Every Woman, Every Newborn, Everywhere acceleration plan, which seeks to reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths. Access to functioning equipment and skilled health workers can make the difference between life and death for families whose babies arrive too soon or require specialised care.
For families with premature or critically ill newborns, access to neonatal incubators and skilled health workers is crucial. The Okoa Malaika programme aims to bridge the gap in newborn care by providing essential equipment to hospitals in need. By supporting premature and critically ill babies, the programme hopes to improve newborn survival rates in the region.
The programme has the potential to make a significant impact on newborn care in the region, provided that the equipment is properly installed, maintained, and supported by trained health workers. With the right care and equipment, vulnerable newborns can receive the support they need to survive and thrive.
Key points
- Six counties in Nyanza and Western regions to receive neonatal incubators under Okoa Malaika programme
- Donated equipment aims to support premature and critically ill babies, addressing gaps in newborn care facilities
- Programme aligns with Kenya's Every Woman, Every Newborn, Everywhere acceleration plan to reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths
