Patients in one of the wards at Garissa Provincial General Hospital. The county government distributed equipment to reduce maternal deaths. [Photo/nepjournal.com]
The Garissa county government has distributed equipment in a bid to reduce maternal deaths in the county.
Health chief officer Mohammed Gure said the county government distributed 10 portable ultrasound equipment worth Sh6.5 million to seven health facilities.
Mr Gure said the health department will ensure that maternal and child mortality will decrease following improvement of maternal and child health in the county.
“The county has an initiative to improve maternal health and support safer interventions to reduce maternal deaths. The county leadership wants to ensure that maternal deaths are completely reduced by buying the equipment,” said the health officer.
County reproductive health coordinator Fatuma Imaan said many mothers have been losing babies due to foetus complications in remotes areas.
Ms Imaan said some locals especially in remote areas have shunned hospitals services such as immunisation and deliveries, despite the government’s efforts to improve facilities and making such services free.
Ms Imaan said the main aim of procuring the machines was to detect any complications early during the antenatal care and to correct if possible before the pregnancy advances.
She said those operating the machines have been trained and urged more women to seek services at the hospital.
“Because of the long queues and distance, some of the mother give up on attending antenatal clinic. This sometimes leads to complications that could have been detected and corrected earlier,” Ms Imaan said.