- On Thursday, October 9, Mama Lucy Hospital started the construction of a 53-bed newborn facility
- The project is being funded by Newborn Essential Solutions and Technologies (NEST360), an initiative focused on improving newborn survival in Africa
- Officials, including Chief Executive Officer Fredrick Obwanda, explained why the project is historic to Nairobi residents
Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Nairobi county residents are set to benefit after Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital officially started the construction of a new 53-bed newborn unit.
Source: Facebook
The new project is set to address the growing influx of patients and ease congestion at the facility.
Who is funding Mama Lucy Hospital’s new project?
A new unit is being developed in partnership with Newborn Essential Solutions and Technologies (NEST360), an initiative focused on improving newborn survival in Africa.
During the groundbreaking on Thursday, October 9, NEST360 Chairperson William Macharia announced that Mama Lucy Hospital received the largest allocation (KSh 24 million) from a KSh 190 million fund dedicated to expanding and equipping newborn units in Kenyan health facilities.
“Mama Lucy Hospital received the largest share of our national allocation because of its high patient volumes and strategic importance. This unit will help ease congestion and reduce the risk of infections,” said Macharia.
How will the newborn unit Mama Lucy Hospita help residents
The hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Fredrick Obwanda, lauded the project, stating that it is a historic milestone in tackling longstanding congestion challenges.
He noted that the new unit will create adequate space for mothers and enhance the quality of neonatal care.
“Congestion has been one of our biggest challenges. The construction of this unit will provide enough space for mothers and promote skin-to-skin (kangaroo mother) care,” said Obwanda.
Dorcus Kemunto, the hospital’s board chairperson, also said the project will not only reduce congestion, especially in Pumwani Maternity Hospital.
According to Kemunto, the new unit will restore dignity to mothers and newborns through a zero-separation approach.
“Access to maternal health remains a challenge for many families, especially in densely populated, low-income areas where infrastructure is limited. This project directly addresses those gaps by prioritising maternal and child health,” said Kemunto.
This initiative supports Governor Sakaja Johnson’s health sector transformation agenda, which prioritises maternal and child health.
To improve efficiency, Level 5 hospitals in Nairobi are now managed by CEOs, a model being expanded to Level 4 hospitals county-wide.
Source: Facebook
How did Mosiria help Nairobi get its first ICU since independence?
Meanwhile, Sakaja publicly praised Geoffrey Mosiria, then chief officer for health facilities, for his role in improving the county’s health sector.
The Nairobi governor credited the youthful chief officer with the establishment of Nairobi’s first ICU since independence at Mama Lucy Hospital.
He further acknowledged Mosiria’s broader contributions to equipping county health facilities and resolving a debt dispute with the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority, which had hampered service delivery.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
