Ushirika Wema Foundation, Makueni County Marks World Prematurity Day Donates six neonatal Incubators to Makueni, Machakos and Kitui counties
Ushiriki Wema Patron Tessie Musalia (2nd right) , Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan (Right) , Makueni First Lady Anita Mutula (2nd Left) and Okoa Malaika Brand Ambassador Njoki Mambo (L) During the World Prematurity Day in Makueni County.
MAKUENI, Kenya, Nov 18 – Makueni County on Monday hosted the National World Prematurity Day commemorations at the Mother and Child Hospital, drawing national attention to the urgent fight against newborn deaths.
Tessie Mudavadi, Spouse of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and head of the Ushirika Wema Foundation, alongside Makueni First Lady Anita Mutula presided over the event.
During the ceremony, the Ushirika Wema Foundation donated six neonatal incubators and accompanying accessories to the counties of Makueni, Kitui, and Machakos, each receiving two under the Okoa Malaika Programme, which supports the care of preterm infants.
According to Tessie, the national government has expanded the Linda Jamii health cover in an effort to curb the rising number of premature births, now estimated at 13% of all deliveries in Kenya the enhanced cover aims to improve access to skilled birth attendance and critical newborn care across the country.
“Every mother deserves the chance to hold a healthy baby and every baby deserves a fighting chance,” she said.
“To support the efforts of the national government and those of the county governments, we launched the Okoa Malaika program two years ago, For this, we extend our heartfelt gratitudeto the People’s Republic of China”.
“Our support has been instrumental in the realization of the objectives of our Okoa Malaika program, which loosely means save the angels, It is devoted to reducing preventable deaths among preterm infants by equipping level four and five county hospitals with life-savingincubators”, She added.
To date, the program has reached out to 22 counties and given out a total ofover 45 incubators.
In her address, First Lady Anita Mutula highlighted that Makueni’s maternal mortality rate currently stands at 21 per 1,000 live births, a figure that underscores the need for stronger maternal and newborn interventions. She noted that the county recorded 1,411 preterm births over the past year, with 250 infants, heartbreakingly, not surviving their first month of life.
To reverse this trend, Makueni has intensified investments in neonatal care In October, the county partnered with ENI Kenya to establish the region’s first neonatal intensive care unit at the Makueni County Referral Hospital, an initiative designed to give preterm and low-birth-weight infants a stronger chance at survival.
The county has also expanded its Kangaroo Mother Care programme, building on its success in which 512 out of 515 preterm infants survived through skin-to-skin care.
Additional spaces have been created, more health workers trained, and community outreach enhanced to support families through pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum recovery. In recognition of her advocacy, Tessie Mudavadi named Anita Mutula the Okoa Malaika Champion for the South Eastern region.
Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Guo Hiyan, noted that there is need of timely and professional medical care, family support and continued attention from society at large, Premature births is not only a medical issue, it also concerns the health of the population, family happiness, social well-being and the future of every nation.
“To care for premature infants is not only a medical mission, it is also a reflection of social concerns, Every life is precious, every family deserves warmth and hope.I’ve noted with great appreciation that Kenya attaches great importance to the health and well-being of women and children”, Said Ms Hiyan.
Additionally, the Okoa Malaika program by the foundation has over the yearsbrought assistance to countless premature infants and their families It has enhanced public awareness, mobilized social support, and inspired compassion and action throughout the country Its impact is truly admirable.
According to the World Health Organization, about 15 million infants are born prematurely every year around the world from the very start of their lives.These little ones face tremendous challenges.
Guided by this vision, China makes various efforts in improving medical service system, strengthening maternal and child health institutions, training professional healthcare workers, promoting prenatal and neonatal care and advancing health education and community support.
China has established nationwide network for neonatal intensive care unit, the NICU, with more than 3,000 NICU now in operation, to provide timely and specialized treatment for premature infants, significantly reducing infant mortality rates, and improvingfamily well-being.
Among the mothers attending was Mueni, who cradled her tiny six-month-old son, born weighing just 1.5 kilograms. She recalls spending weeks sleeping upright in a hospital chair, watching monitors flicker beside her baby’s incubator.
“Every day felt like a miracle we were praying for,” she said softly. Her son survived, thanks to specialized care that many rural families still struggle to access.
Mrs Musalia urged national and county governments to consider extending maternity leave for mothers of preterm infants, arguing that supporting mothers ultimately strengthens families and secures the country’s future.
“When we support the mother, we strengthen the child, we uplift the family, and we safeguard the future, the creation of policy is an everlasting benefit,” she said.
“As we mark world prematurity day our hearts and efforts are rightly focused on our precious preterm babies who remind us every day just how fragile life can be, If we are committed to improving newborn survival, then we must equally commit tosupporting the young mothers who bring these babies into the world”.
