New Sh55m Sosiot Mother and Child Unit boosts maternal care in Belgut

A modern Sh55 million Mother and Child Unit officially opened at Sosiot Trading Centre. [Nikko Tanui, Standard]

Mothers in Belgut Constituency now expect better healthcare following the opening of a Sh55 million Mother and Child Unit at Sosiot Trading Centre.

For years, women in the area endured long distances, congested wards and inadequate facilities in their search for safe childbirth space.

The new unit—an expansion of the Sossiot Level 3 Sub-County Hospital—ushers in a major shift in efforts to curb preventable maternal and infant deaths.

The unit is a relief to women seeking antenatal and postnatal services. [Nikko Tanui, Standard]

M-Pesa Foundation chairman Joe Ogutu said the decision to put up the unit followed assessments showing that the facility handles between 70 and 80 deliveries every month, far beyond its previous capacity.

Kenya still records about 350 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, he noted, warning that the numbers point to an urgent need for investment.

“No woman should die in the process of bringing forth a child,” he said.

Maternal health remains one of the foundation’s core priorities. [Nikko Tanui, Standard]

Ogutu said maternal health remains one of the foundation’s core priorities and expressed optimism that the new facility will ease pressure on medical workers while improving survival rates for mothers and newborns.

“We cannot ignore the reality that too many mothers and children are dying from preventable causes,” he added.

Belgut MP Nelson Koech said the unit is a relief to women seeking antenatal and postnatal services across the constituency.

“This facility will have a positive impact on mothers and children. No mother or child should die again during childbirth,” he said, noting that the unit had already witnessed its first delivery—a baby girl—on the eve of the launch.

Kericho Governor Erick Mutai said the comprehensive wing—which houses a modern newborn unit, delivery rooms and recovery wards—significantly boosts the county’s maternal healthcare capacity.

“The county has deployed adequate staff and supplied essential pharmaceuticals to ensure full operations,” he said.

Mutai added that the investment will be complemented by a new theatre, a radiology unit and a Sh157 million Mother and Child Unit nearing completion, moves aimed at upgrading Sossiot Hospital to a full Level Four facility.

Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot said maternal and child health remains a key indicator of development and life expectancy, describing the new unit as a game-changer for Belgut.

“Expectant women, adolescents, newborns and even fathers will now be served with dignity and quality care,” he said.

He hailed partners and leaders for prioritising maternal health, saying the facility will help reduce maternal and infant fatalities, lower infection risks, ease pressure on the health system and support a healthier community.