Celebrations rocked Kanderendu village in Kigumo, Murang’a after the Safaricom Foundation donated equipment worth Sh700,000 to operatize a maternity programmed that was started 44 years ago.
It was a relief to the residents in the village after the health facility project started 44 years ago was supported to end the suffering the expectant mothers went through after the labour pains.
The elderly recounted the endless trips they have made for childbirth to access maternity wards at Kangari and Githumu markets, where the majority gave birth along the roads.
The maternity project, a brainchild of Faith Maina, a director at Makomboki tea factory was celebrated by the villagers, as the foundation officials led by Ms Maureen Owino presented the equipment.
Owino said the foundation has allocated resources to support programmes related to health, education and economic empowerment. “We are happy that the application made by Ms Maina has been fruitful and designed to eradicate the suffering the expectations women face towards motherhood,” said Owino.
Ms Maina, a director representing Kanderendu tea electoral area, said lack of a maternity wing in the locality has been a major challenge, as the expectant mothers had to relocate to areas near the major hospitals as the delivery dates approached.
” We have lost many inborn after their mother developed labour pains and cannot access the nearby health facilities timely due to the poor state of Karenderundu- Makomboki road,” said Maina.
Lydia Mwangi lauded the efforts of Ms Maina saying being a tea director has been a blessing to women in the locality. Mwangi said the revamping of the maternity programme is a blessing to the parents in the locality after years of experience challenges.
“The majority of the women have been delivering at home which is a threat but the distance between our locality and Kangari, Githumu and Thika has been the major programme due to cost implication,” said Ms Mwangi. Mzee Joseph Nduati recounted how in the 1990’s the parents were forced to contributed millions of shillings for the maternity programme before they accessed services.
” For a child to be at Kanderendu primary school, the parents had to make contribution to assist in the building of the Kanderundu dispensary where we have a vision of a maternity” said Nduati. Kangari MCA Moses Mirara lauded the initiative to start the operationalisation of the maternity project after many years of waiting.
Murang’a county government, Mirara said, will allocate Sh250,000 to facilitate renovation of the facility this financial year.
” More health workers will be posted to manage the maternity ward and also elevate Kanderendu dispensary to a health centre,” said Mirara.
