The Aga Khan Development Network will invest 1.4million Canadian Dollars (KShs.109million) over the next four years to improve access to quality healthcare services in Kisii County.

The organization will partner with Kisii County to create demand for Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services, strengthen health information systems, operationalize community health units, increase community based health surveillance and capacity building.

Speaking during a courtesy call on Governor James Ongwae, Aga Khan Foundation, East Africa Regional Policy and Research Partnerships Director Shem Ochola announced that Kenyenya Sub County Hospital and other community units in Bomachoge Borabu Sub County would be renovated and improved in the program.

“Through our social development pillar, we are keen to strengthen systems through evidence based interventions. The goal is to create efficient and appropriate health systems that raise the quality of life of populations in the developing world in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he noted.

Ochola was flanked by Prof. Marleen Temmerman (Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Agha Khan University) and Syed Mohammad Sohail (CEO, Agha Khan Hospital, Kisumu). CEC health Services Sara Omache was also present.

Governor Ongwae thanked the Agha Khan Development Network for their support to Kenya and the Kisii community especially in healthcare.

“Devolution is now entrenched as a system of governance in Kenya and we have completely taken over healthcare services but the challenge is in resourcing. 40 per cent of our annual budget goes to healthcare but we have a long way to go because 80 units established by CDF have yet to be operationalized. This is why we welcome the support from AKDN,” said Ongwae.

He asked the organization to consider expanding the Aga Khan Satellite hospital in Kisii into a full-fledged hospital to cater for increasing demand in specialized healthcare in the region.

“We have increased the number of doctors to 60 in the past three years and made improvements at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital but we can’t cope with the demand. Our people go as far as Tenwek in Bomet and India for healthcare indicating a gap that can be filled by AKDN. We are eager to sign an MoU with you in the area of post graduate training,” said Governor Ongwae.

The CEO, Mr Sohail, announced that the Kisii satellite hospital was earmarked for expansion in the next financial year into a primary healthcare centre.