Marsabit County launch maternity wing, renal unit and CT Scan centre

A patient arrives at Marsabit Hospital supported by relatives on May 4,2019. The Hospital is offering Renal and CT Scan services to its residents and even those from the neighboring counties. [Kibata Kihu/Standard]

Mortality rate in Marsabit is expected to drop significantly after a new maternity wing at the country referral hospital was unveiled.

The Sh150 million Mother and Child Complex, at Marsabit County Referral Hospital, has a newborn unit, two major and one minor theatres and four wards with a bed capacity of 50.

Marsabit is among counties with the highest mortality rates in the country, with about 1,200 deaths being reported per 100,000 births.

The problem is exacerbated by the fact that most women give birth at home and therefore miss out on antenatal and postnatal care.

Governor Mohamud Ali, who opened the facility last week, said it will also increase the hospital's capacity to meet increased demand for outpatient and inpatients services.

“Now up to 70 per cent of residents are going to hospital to deliver, an increase from 46 per cent a few years ago. The county government has so far increased health facilities to 108 across the county up from 70 in 2017,” said Ali.

The hospital records between 150 and 200 deliveries each month and the governor says the number could go up as a result of better services in the vast county.

“This will encourage mothers to come to the hospital instead of delivering at home. This will help reduce mother and child-related deaths as emergency cases will be dealt with at the new facility,” Ali said.

Fatuma Galgalo, a patient, told The Standard she was happy to have made it to the facility on time to deliver her baby.

Neli Beatrice, 25, said mothers are happy their newborns have a high chance of surviving compared to delivering at home.

Apart from the maternity wing, a new renal unit, a CT scan centre and a sterilisation unit were also launched. The hospital also has a new backup generator.

"Patients with kidney problems will no longer need to travel to Nairobi for dialysis. The renal unit we have opened will help thousands of patients save on the costs of treatment, especially when they have to travel to other counties," said Ali.