Lodwar – November 25, 2025 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
To strengthen maternal and newborn health outcomes in Turkana County, the Department of Health and Sanitation has received a donation of Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (EmONC) kits from UNFPA and Amref Health Africa.
Representing the Directorate of Preventive and Promotive Services, James Lobokan, Director of Policy Planning, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, noted that the additional support is timely and impactful. “The goal is to enhance health facilities’ preparedness by building the capacity of healthcare workers and improving midwifery training and practice,”
Dr Jacob Khaoya, Deputy Chief of Party at Amref Health Africa, added “The kits are designed to build the confidence of healthcare workers, improve response times, and save countless lives by transforming the quality of maternal and newborn care,”
The kits include mother and baby mannequins, a postpartum uterus trainer, maternal and neonatal resuscitation models, a perineal repair trainer, and other tools that support practical, hands-on skills in EmONC.
According to Vayonda Ongaya, Program Officer at Amref Health Africa, the donation is part of a broader package of Maternal and Neonatal Health activities being implemented to strengthen the capacity of health teams across the county.
“The other ongoing activities include Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) sensitization, Maternal and Newborn Health Quality of Care (MNH QoC) sensitization, and EmONC onsite mentorship for frontline health workers,” she explained.
Gabriel Lopodo, Deputy Director for Family Health Services, emphasized that Turkana County is extremely vast, spanning more than 70,000 square kilometers, and that this support will play a critical role in saving lives.
“Reducing the distance patients must travel is essential, and that these skills-based trainings enable health workers to manage complications on-site and reduce avoidable referrals,” he noted.
Ismael Emai, the Acting Director for Public Health, was present to witness the handover.
