The West Pokot County government has put in place measures to avert the alarming maternal and child deaths during delivery to improve the ailing health sector in the County including the employment of more health workers in the County.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, 443 among 100,000 expectant mothers and 208 children among 1000 die during delivery in the County. The County has low immunization coverage of 47 % where per 100 children where only 43 are immunized.
A total of 114 new nurses have been employed to help boost health services to locals in the area. Governor John Lonyangapuo said the County government has put in place measures to revamp the health sector which is faced with a lot of challenges.
The Governor urged health practitioners to be proactive in offering services to patients. He said they will employ more doctors, clinical officers, pharmacists, nutritionists, lab technicians, consultants and other cadres.
Speaking while meeting the newly employed nurses, Governor Lonyangapuo said that the new team will work in dispensaries and health centers in the entire County. “We have also done reshuffle for health workers to deliver their services smoothly and offer better services,” he said.
He reiterated that they target to improve health to minimize referrals. “Currently we are receiving many patients from neighbouring Counties who come here for treatment,” said Lonyangapuo. He added that they will ensure that all sub county hospitals have the capacity to handle patients in remote far-flung areas.
County Executive Member for Health and Sanitation Mr. Geoffrey Lipale said the health sector in the County is faced with many challenges and has a deficit of 400 nurses.
He said the rise in deaths is attributed to expectant mothers delay to reach hospitals and not attending antenatal care. He said that the toilet coverage in the County is 27% serving a population of 850,000 people where 621 000 people in the County have no toilets and defecate in bushes and only 229 500 have toilets which is dangerous to health. “Many are pastoralists and they practice nomadism. We urge residents to built toilets to avert the spread of diseases,” he said.
Lipale said that the immunization coverage in the County is 47% and over fifty percent don’t get the vaccination because of lack of enough health workers. “Those who went to court after the nurses strike should withdraw the case because their chances are still there for them get back to work,” said Lipale.
County Secretary Dr, Mike Parklea said they will send the nurses in remote areas to help patients not travel long distances to reach health treatment centers universal health care. “The nurses and chiefs will help in sensitizing on the importance of NHIF,” he said.
