Why Isiolo? Maternal healthcare in one of the world’s poorest regions
April 20, 2018

CHALLENGES AND MATERNAL HEALTH RISKS

One of the highest maternal mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa

Drought and flooding in the region making access to health care impossible for rural residents

Badly maintained government hospitals and facilities

Lack of standard diagnostic laboratories

Essential health services such as obstetrical/midwifery services are not available

Hospitals and dispensaries lack adequate equipment, personnel, skills and space

Only 20% of all health facilities in the county offer any maternity services

80% of health facilities lack access to skilled attendants at delivery

Kenya holds the second highest newborn mortality rates at 1 : 22, second to Pakistan 1 : 23

Some areas of Isiolo county have not seen a government health professional in five years

THE MATERCARE SOLUTION: Project Isiolo

Developed a model of rural essential obstetrics which takes into account in the county not only the obstetric causes of death; but also the poor facilities and equipment; lack of trained staff; lack of equipment and transport; poor, communications and social circumstances of mothers

An emergency obstetrical transport, a 4×4 fully equipped was ambulance was introduced in 2009 for the hospital and for rural clinics, two motorbike ambulances, to travel to villages all linked by cell-phones

At the same time the first of 3 rural parish maternity clinics was built in a remote village of Merti, 225 kms with four beds, an operating room, delivery room, a small lab and dispensary and two manyattas, (maternity waiting homes). It provides uncomplicated maternity care staffed by midwives

The project base is MCI’s 28 bed maternity hospital, operational since June of 2013, able to provide essential obstetrical care for most life threatening complications. The hospital laboratory and kitchen are being expanded as well as administration. Two manyattas, will be built in the compound where mothers with potential complications may care for themselves or by a relative but have easy access to monitoring by midwives while waiting on the onset of labour.

CONSIDER DONATING TO THIS PROJECT!

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