“Our maternity is well now equipped and the number of the mothers seeking services has increased and so have the births,” says Nurse Mary, the Nurse in Charge of Marigat Catholic Mission Health Centre in Baringo County. Nurse May told Afya Uzazi Program Chief of Party Dr. Boniface Maket recently that the quality of care had improved, especially at the newly equipped newborn unit after the facility received equipment procured with USAID support. This health centre is one of the dozens of facilities in the county that recently received essential equipment through the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency @KEMSA and Afya Uzazi. Afya Uzazi works with the county government to empower health care workers to continually improve the quality of services they provide. The new equipment at Marigat Mission Hospital includes an incubator, warmer, ultrasound machine and a resuscitaire, which helps babies to breathe.
Besides improving the quality of care, equipping the hospital saves patients money. Previously, mothers were referred to other facilities for services now available at the local facility.