News Categories: Health and Sanitation

Health is a major component in the socio-economic development of any community. It is a right for every human as it is a responsibility. It is therefore imperative that all play a role in the Promotion of good health at different levels from the individuals, families, households and community levels.

The Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium (KANCO) on Friday held a one-day meeting with the Nandi County Assembly Health and Finance Committees led by the Health Committee Chair Hon. Dr. Paul Sanga who is also the Chepkunyuk Ward MCA in a bid to sensitize the County Assembly members on the status of immunization in Nandi County, policies, financing and legislation gaps as well as update on areas that KANCO with the support of GAVI is working in.

Also present at the forum were the Deputy Speaker who is also Chepkumia Ward MCA Hon. Wilson Sang, Majority Leader and Kaptumo/Kaboi Ward MCA Hon. David Koech, Deputy Majority Leader and Songhor/Soba Ward MCA Hon. Justine Chepnyango among other MCAs and Senior Health Officials.

Immunization can mean the difference between life and death to children, yet many children in Nandi County are not fully immunized or not immunized. Vaccines having been proven to eradicate diseases and save millions of lives every year at very low costs. In Nandi County, the uptake/demand for immunization services stands at 69%. This portends great risks as some of the vaccine preventable disease are highly communicable and spread very fast hence the need to immunizing every child.

There have been efforts by the county department of health and sanitation to accelerate the immunization efforts through various efforts including the county immunization rapid results initiative targeting to reach all the missed children and community outreaches but, a lot more needs to be done to reach and immunize every child.

To complement the national efforts, KANCO through the support GAVI is pushing the bottom up approach to immunization by working with the County Government of Nandi to create awareness among the communities and to increase the demand for immunization. KANCO is working in Nandi county with Tinderet as the selected sub county on the basis of the number of unvaccinated children, immunization coverage and multi-dimensional poverty index factors.

KANCO in partnership with the County Government has adopted the media advocacy model that empowers journalists to build up campaigns to engage parties of interest including elected leaders to find solutions for issues affecting them.

KANCO held a journalists sensitization forum on Immunization and nutrition with the aim of providing factual information on the state of immunization and to increase journalism skills for accurate immunization and nutrition coverage in Nandi. The meeting was also attended by the ministry of health officials who sought to share an overview of the state of immunization in Nandi and call the journalist to action towards increasing the demand for immunization in Nandi County.

Stephen Ikonya, KANCO explained that the media advocacy model seeks to empower the journlists to engage by equipping them with the tools and skills that help them effectively engage disseminate immunization call.

Rachael Rop, County EPI co-ordinator took the participantsthrough the model and ended with a call to the journalists to take their space and profile immunization given its critical importance to both the county and national health outcomes and Universal Health Coverage.

Primary health care (PHC) is considered to be an important tool in achieving universal health coverage (UHC).

Health centers in Nandi County play an important role in health care delivery. They usually serve as the first line of service and meet basic health care needs.

Earlier today, the Chief Officer for Medical Services Dr. Paul Lagat made an impromptu visit to Koilot Health Center in Ol’Lessos Ward to check on the facility’s community health strategy that relies on community health workers for outreach at the lowest levels (embedded into communities).

Koilot, situated in Nandi hills sub county is a shining example of an integrated community unit where practical skills are offered to the community especially the vulnerable groups and knowledge and appropriate attitude change is exchanged and grounded.

The community unit structure comprises CHCs, CHVs, CHWs, households, and affiliate health facilities. The nearest health facility is the community’s link for seeking all health services.

The community unit, which draws its membership from the catchment area, is led by the CHC and office personnel to support the CHVs in their community-related health work. Post- devolution, there is increased investment by the county government of Nandi on the community strategy.

A community health policy has been drafted and is being reviewed by the Council of Governors.

The Chief Officer for Medical Services Dr. Paul Lagat made a visit to Keben Dispensary, Ol’Lessos Ward to assess the provision of services at the facility.

He held a meeting with facility management team and the hospital staff on ways to overcome the challenges and key priorities for the hospital to better service provision to the people of Keben and its surroundings.

Similar visits will made to all health facilities to better service delivery to the great people of Nandi county.

He was accompanied by Kapsabet County Referral Hospital Public Relations Officer Daniel Serem.

Patients at Kapsabet County Referral Hospital will now have access to more specialized medical services hence reducing medical referrals.

The hospital received an Audiometer, a machine used for evaluating hearing acuity and an Electrocardiogram (ECG) machine used to diagnose abnormalities of the heart, such as heart chamber enlargement and abnormal electrical conduction. The equipments were delivered to the hospital by the County TB Coordinator Sammy Rop.

The Hospital Medical Superintendent, Dr. Daniel Kemboi said the equipment from the National Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Division will transform service delivery at the county’s referral hospital.

The County Director of Health Administration, Planning and Operations Dr. Philemon Bureti said that the residents of Nandi can now get quality healthcare services right in Kapsabet without worrying about extra costs of transporting our loved ones out of the county for specialised treatment.

Breastfeeding is the birthright of every child and responsibility of every mother. World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year on August 1 to 7.

This year’s theme is ‘Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding.’

The County Government of Nandi through the department of health and sanitation today joined the global event.

Nandi Deputy Governor Dr. Yulita Cheruiyot, led the county in marking the world breastfeeding week at Kipng’oror Health Center in Chepterwai Ward of Mosop Sub County.

“Establishing exclusive breastfeeding – feeding infants nothing but breast milk for the first six months of life – helps young children grow, preventing under-nutrition, promoting brain development and reduce the rate at which children become overweight,” noted the Deputy County boss.

The health and sanitation department, acknowledged partners notably Nutrition International and Eastern Produce Kenya (EPK) in enhancing awareness creation, advocating for the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding culture.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends breastfeeding within one hour for the first 6 months and at the same time providing them with nutritious complimentary till 2 years.

Babies who are breastfed by their mothers are less likely to develop tonsillectomies – a surgical procedure to remove the tonsils.

Less skin allergy is associated with babies who receive their mother’s milk, which in turn lead to general healthy living.

Higher IQ is also associated with children who are breastfed and, this means cognitive development emanating from nerve tissue expansion. Improved memory is yet another merits of consuming milk of the mother.

Other deadly conditions and diseases greatly reduced by the breast milk include: urinary tract, obesity, sudden infant death syndrome, cholesterol management and respiratory infections.

The global breastfeeding week is an annual event that is set aside for recognizing the health importance of giving children their mother’s milk.

Health facilities, pediatricians, gynecologists, family members, parents, guidance and the general public must support new and young mothers to breastfeed their children.

Present at the event were the County Director for Health Dr. David Bungei, Angeline Korir the County Nutritionist, Nutrition International Coordinator Kiprotich Kirorei among other senior county health officials and staff from Mosop sub county.

The County Government of Nandi under the leadership of Governor Stephen Sang is reshaping Nandi’s health system so that it is more patient focused and efficient.

The construction of a new model Trauma Centre at Nandi Hills Hospital is set to be completed within the next few months.

The Trauma Centre which is being constructed by the County Government of Nandi through the Department of Health and Sanitation and will be the first model trauma hospital in western Kenya region.

The trauma centre, will have an High Dependency Unit, operation theatre, X-ray, Ultrasound, a laboratory, pharmacy, wards and consultation rooms.

While on a working visit to the facility, Nandi Governor Stephen Sang said the centre will majorly deal with trauma and post-trauma cases resulting from road accidents.

“Better health care means putting patients first. This new, modern facility will ensure patients can access the consistent and reliable care they need while offering hospital staff an improved facility that allows them to do their work efficiently and quickly,” said the County boss.

“We plan that when we finish this project before the end of this year, everything will have been ready and the installation done,” said Governor Sang.

The Trauma centre will serve four other counties of Kisumu, Kericho, Vihiga and Kakamega.

The new out-patient wing at Nandi Hills County Hospital has also greatly improved patient flow and ensure residents get better healthcare.

Malnutrition in Nandi County remains a big public health problem. The County is experiencing a rise in diet-related non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, cancers, kidney and liver complications that are attributed to the consumption of foods low in fibre and high in fats and sugars. This triple burden on malnutrition is serious and without deliberate and concerted effort, will lead to increased morbidity, mortality as well as loss of productivity.

Nandi has made great efforts in dealing with malnutrition which is one of the greatest public health burdens in the county. One intervention is the development of the Nandi County Nutrition Action Plan (N-CNAP). The development of N-CNAP began with an inception workshop held today with stakeholders from all county departments and officials from Nutrition International to provide guidance on the action plan.

The inception workshop was officially opened by Nandi Deputy Governor Dr. Yulita Cheruiyot flanked by the County Executive Committee Member for Health and Sanitation Ruth Koech.

Reducing malnutrition in Nandi County is not just a health priority but also a political choice that calls for a multi-sectoral focus driven by a political goodwill that acknowledges the integral role that nutrition plays in ensuring a healthy population and productive workforce. Communities must be empowered to claim their right to good nutrition and guided to play their role towards realizing this right.

The solutions to malnutrition are practical, basic and have to be applied at scale and prioritized in the County development agenda. Nandi County has shown renewed commitment to nutrition having partnered with Nutrition International. Therefore, the development of the Nandi County Nutrition Action Plan (N-CNAP) provides practical guidance to implementation of Nandi County’s commitments to nutrition.

The N-CNAP will provide a framework for coordinated implementation of high impact nutrition intervention by the county government and nutrition stakeholders for maximum impacts at all levels. Most of these interventions are part of Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) actions.

The purpose of the County Nutrition Action Plan is to provide a framework for coordinated implementation of nutrition intervention activities by the county government and nutrition stakeholders.

The Plan is being developed through implementation of High impact Nutrition interventions (HiNi). The HiNi interventions include: exclusive breastfeeding, timely complementary feeding, iron folate, vitamin A and zinc supplementation, hand washing, deworming, food fortification and management of moderate and severe acute malnutrition.

It is expected that implementation of the Plan will contribute to increased commitment, partnerships and networking as well as resource mobilization efforts among nutrition stakeholders towards achieving these goals.

Also present were the Chief Officer for Preventive and Promotive Services Sally Kemboi and the Director for Health Dr. David Bungei.

The ongoing renovation works of Kapsabet County Referral Hospital is almost complete.

The hospital has been renovated and installation of equipment complete in some of the facilities which are already in use owing to the high demand.

The County Executive Committee Member for Health and Sanitation Ruth Koech expressed joy that the renovation works currently being undertaken is on course and moving as scheduled. “I am excited to see this facility taking shape and continuing to meet our expectations as a Health sector,” she said.

“To reduce congestion at the out-patient unit, we are establishing waiting bays at the Lab with a pay point, filter clinics with a nurse station and at the oncology department,” added Ruth.

In response to the increasing cancer burden in Nandi, patients seeking access to cancer testing and treatment and to clinicians in delivering these services, the county department has established an oncology department at the facility.

The CECM was speaking at Kapsabet County Referral Hospital when she led top health management officials on a tour of the facility to assess the operations of the hub, identify any possible gaps and devise means to address them.

The Doctor’s lounge at the facility being equipped. The lounge will be a place for physicians to regroup to congregate and consult.

Special clinic days at the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital has been set. On Mondays the clinic will be handling Medical cases, Tuesdays will be Surgical cases, Wednesdays has been dedicated for Gynaecological cases whereas Thursday for Paediatric cases.

Within the next week, construction of a waiting bay for persons visiting the wards will commence.

Parking area at the MCH is now complete allowing staff to park their vehicles within the facility.

The construction of the rear entrance gate at the MCH is almost complete. This will be the main entrance gate to the facility whereas the current main gate will be used for emergency cases only.

Present during the visit were the Chief Officer for Medical Services Dr. Paul Lagat, Director Lands Environment and Natural Resources Chief Officer Dr. Solomon Mang’ira, Governor’s Delivery Unit Julius Koech, Director of Health Administration, Operations, Finance, Planning and Operations Dr. Philemon Bureti, Medical Superintendent Dr. Daniel Kemboi and the hospital Public Relations Officer Daniel Serem.

Public health officials in Nandi County on Thursday destroyed a consignment of Nuteez Peanut butter seized earlier in January after they obtained court orders.

Nandi County Public Health Officials, had gone to court after the National Public Health Laboratory Services examined that Jetlak Company’s Nuteez Peanut butter samples collected from Nandi supermarkets and shops were condemned and unfit for human consumption.

The analysis by the Government Chemist found that the Nuteez peanut butter contained high levels aflatoxins.

Kapsabet resident magistrate D.A Alego on March 20, ordered that the Nuteez peanut butter seized from Naivas Supermarket, Tiryo Supermarket, Delta Supermarket – Kapsabet and Nandi Hills, Jubilee Merchant Wholesalers, Corner Shop Mosoriot be destroyed through incineration at the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital in the presence of the Public Health officials, Court representatives, OCS Kapsabet and the County Head of Enforcement.

A certificate of analysis had showed that Nuteez peanut butter failed to pass intricate test analysis conducted on a sample taken to the government chemist.

In the report, the analysis noted that the sample was not fit for human consumption as it had surpassed the required limit of aflatoxin allowed in such products.

According to the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), aflatoxins are toxic chemicals produced as by-products by fungi (moulds) that grow on maize, cottonseed, groundnuts and other food crops.

People can be exposed to aflatoxins by eating contaminated plant products or by consuming meat or dairy products from animals that ate contaminated feed. Exposure to aflatoxins is associated with an increased risk of liver cancer.

In April this year, Kebs reinstated Jetlak company’s standardisation mark permit No. 965 for Nuteez, saying it will continue monitoring the “effectiveness” of the company’s controls for the peanut butter through market surveillance, factory inspections and testing.

Kenya is one of the world’s hotspots for aflatoxins, with what is believed to be the highest incidence of acute toxicity ever documented.