Mentee programme transforms maternal health care in Murang’a

Murang’a South, Tuesday, July 4, 2023

KNA by Florence Kinyua

In a bid to end maternal newborn deaths and improve skilled birth attendance in health facilities across the county, Jacaranda health in collaboration with the Murang’a County Government witnessed the graduation of the first cohort of mentees and in-facility mentors under the MENTORS’ programme, on Monday.

The 68 grandaunts who are skilled nurses and midwives were drawn from 17 health facilities across the county and were rigorously trained for six months and equipped with enhanced skills and confidence to deliver comprehensive care to mothers and their babies.

Speaking in Kenol during the graduation ceremony, Jacaranda Health Deputy Country Director Job Makoya noted that the Mentors’ programme is designed to nurture, polish and hone the skills of the nurses and midwives stationed in public health facilities with a primary emphasis of managing obstetric emergencies

“The curriculum encompassed Emergencies obstetric and newborn care (EmONC) and offered the mentees practical training on Essential Continuous Medical Education (CMEs) and essential drills,” he said

“As such, the Mentees cohort program covered topics such as PPH, Neonatal Resuscitation, shoulder dystocia, Pregnancy induced hypertension/ eclampsia, respectful maternity care, infection control and prevention management of normal labor and also post abortion care “

Dr. Makoya further noted that in order to end preventable maternal newborn deaths by deploying low cost sustainable solutions that will ultimately improve the quality of care in government’s health facilities, the mentees were also trained on the essential drills that come in handy when managing obstetric emergencies and newborn care.

“Our nurses and midwives are well equipped to handle normal birth of a non- vigorous baby, normal birth of a vigorous baby with immediate PPH, shoulder dystocia birth of a non -vigorous baby, mild PPH, eclampsia, breech delivery and assisted vacuum delivery (AVD),” he noted.

On his part, Murang’a County Health Executive Committee Member (CEC) Dr. Fredrick K. Mbugua while lauding Jacaranda Health for the Mentors’ programme, assured the participants that the county is relentlessly putting measures in place to ensure that mothers receive quality, dignified and respectable maternal care in the health facilities.

“To achieve the mission of ending maternal newborn deaths, the county is continuously involved in public education, capacity building, improving of infrastructure and partners support which is not only saving us significant resources but also ensuring our frontline health care workers polish their skills,” Dr. Mbugua added.

In Murang’a County, skilled birth attendance is currently at 96 percent (2022), a significant improvement from 85 percent in 2014 while skilled antenatal care improved from 97 percent in 2014 to 100 percent in 2022.

Nationally, the current KDHS 2022 statistics on maternal mortality stands at 357/100,000 live births which is a reduction from the previous statistics of 2014 of 365/1000 live births.

Further, skilled birth attendance stands at 89 percent, a significant improvement from 41 percent in 2003 while Skilled Antenatal care is at 97 percent.

Jacaranda Health is working on scaling up and expanding the Mentors’ programme to reach health care workers across the county as is currently being conducted in 21 counties.

Courtesy ; K. N. A