Makueni: Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. and Vitamin Angels Founder Howard Schiffer on Thursday flagged off 7,200 bottles of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS), each containing 180 tablets, to be distributed to several health facilities across the county under a pilot programme. Among the health facilities that benefitted are Makueni County Referral Hospital, Matiliku, Makindu, Kibwezi, Sultan Hamud, Kilungu and Mbooni Subcounty hospitals, Tulimani, Ngwata, Kathyaka and Kathozweni health centres, and Mwaani and Malili dispensaries respectively. The health facilities will continue to receive the supply of the supplements for the next four years, and the county plans to expand the programme to other health facilities in due course.
According to Kenya News Agency, Makueni has become the first county in the country to pilot the MMS supplement programme, which is supported by a consortium comprising Vitamin Angels, International Development Enterprise (IDE), and Hellen Keller International. Speaking during the flag off at Makueni Mother and Child Hospital, Vitamin Angels Founder Mr. Schiffer praised Makueni county for prioritizing the welfare of vulnerable women who lack the economic means to adequately address nutrition challenges. Schiffer emphasized the collective effort of the governor, healthcare system, doctors, health workers, and community workers in standing up for these women and ensuring their children have a healthy life and bright future.
Vitamin Angels Africa Technical Director Dr. Lucy Kanya stated that the programme aims to reduce preterm births, cases of babies being born underweight, and improve the overall health of mothers and children, describing it as an investment with generational impact. Dr. Kanya explained that the initiative acts as an equaliser and a global solution for addressing maternal anaemia in the county.
Governor Mutula acknowledged the reliance of many residents on public hospitals for healthcare services and stressed the responsibility of leaders to provide solutions that directly benefit the public. He affirmed his administration’s commitment to rolling out interventions aimed at addressing critical healthcare challenges in the county. The governor highlighted that mothers endure significant challenges while caring for premature babies in hospitals and expressed hope that the introduction of the supplements would help address prematurity and related complications.
Governor Mutula also revealed that medics in the county are now equipped to treat excessive bleeding among women after delivery and address hydrocephalus, a condition where babies have excessive fluid in the brain. He noted that treatment for these conditions is now available locally, with a specialized clinic and neurosurgeons established in Makueni, reducing the need for treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital. The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to improving healthcare services and pledged to continue collaborating with development partners to advance the county’s development agenda.
