Lodwar, 26th August 2024 (Governor’s Press Service)– Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai today hosted a delegation from the Danish Embassy in Kenya to review the implementation progress of the Inclusive Refugee Response Programme (IRRP).
The three-year project, launched in December 2023, aims to support the implementation of Kenya’s Refugees Act, 2021, by improving inclusive services in health, education, water, and enhancing self-reliance among refugees and host communities.
IRRP is a joint initiative funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, LEGO Foundation, and Grundfos Foundation, implemented through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark, with UNHCR, the Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK), and Plan International as implementing partners.
The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs is seconding two Advisers to the Department for Refugees Services (DRS) and the County Government of Turkana to provide technical assistance in implementing the Refugee Act, 2021, and ensuring inclusive service delivery.
Marie My Larsen, Team Leader of the Regional Refugee Humanitarian Team, stated that the visit to Turkana was to assess IRRP’s progress after six months, engage with stakeholders, and identify gaps and recommendations.
Governor Lomorukai expressed gratitude for the Danish Government’s support and reaffirmed the County Government’s commitment to the project and other initiatives aimed at integrating refugees and host communities. He noted that the project’s focus areas aligned with the county’s Nine-Point Development Agenda and emphasized the need for strengthened coordination among implementing partners and the County Government to achieve core objectives.
The Governor highlighted the recent elevation of Kakuma to a Municipality status and the anticipated increase in demand for services due to urbanization and the growing refugee population. He called for increased investment in key sectors, particularly health, water, and education, to benefit both host community and refugees.
Governor Lomorukai acknowledged the impact of DANIDA’s support in strengthening service delivery in Level 2 and 3 health facilities through the Primary Health Care Support Programme. He urged for the resumption of funding to this program to reduce referrals to the Lodwar County Referral Hospital.
Addressing the county’s shortage of human resources in the health sector, the Governor requested additional resources to recruit specialized personnel. County Executive for Health, James Wangiros, echoed the Governor’s sentiments and pledged seamless implementation of the program.
Chief Officers Simon Etom (Water Services) and Cathra Abdi (Preventive and Promotive Health) called for capacity-building support for technical staff to ensure the sustainability of investments in key sectors.
Present at the meeting were Deputy County Secretary Joseph Nyang’a, Chief Officers Moses Korea (Education) and Cecilia Majuma (Tourism), Chief of Staff Peter Loyapan, Directors Dr Joseph Lolepo (Community Health Services) and Raphael Logum (Resource Mobilisation) and Head Of Family Health Gabriel Lopodo
