Its 9:00 a.m. at the Naivasha District Hospital. The maternity ward is running at 136% occupancy and there are 7 mothers who are in early labour
The equipment available to the doctors and nurses is at best shoddy and at worst non-existent. The staff are hard working and well trained, but working in difficult circumstances. Two people per bed, cross infection, lack of drugs, and total indignity are the norms here in the Naivasha Hospital – and that’s on a good day.
Over the past 10 years the developments in floriculture and horticulture in this region has meant a migration of people and their families to the area. An additional 70,000 people have been employed, with 70% of them being female. Most have their families with them. The mushrooming employment opportunities have not been matched with health care facilities. The Naivasha Hospital now has to cater for a population of more than 400,000 people. It was designed with less than half that number in mind. It’s an impossible situation and something must be done.
In fact, a great deal has already been done:
We’ve set up a unique team of Private Industry (Flowers Farms in Naivasha), Friends of Naivasha USA (a group of 10 individuals commited to this project) , and the Naivasha District Hospital which represents the Kenyan government and the local community
A brand new, fully equipped, 80 bed, Women’s Health Care & HIV Centre has been designed, costed, and approved by the government. The focus will be on a new maternity ward, dignified care, and an HIV clinic.
The land next to the existing Hospital as been allocated.
We’ve had a ground breaking ceremony with the local community, business leaders, and politicians. (Click here for images)
To date Friends of Naivasha USA has sent ten 40 ft containers of medical equipment including: Birthings Beds, fetal monitors, infant warmers and isolettes, operating room tables, anesthesia machines, surgical lights, commercial washer and dryer. Additional shipments will provide all the equipments needed for this facility.
What we now need is donations- in cash, or in materials, so that we can get on with building the centre.
This is no small project, and will need a total of Ksh 22.5 million ($300,000) to complete. The saying “Time is money” means one thing, but “Time is Lives” is something entirely different. It’s very simple – the more time that goes by means more women and children die unnecessarily.
Don’t think about it – just do it. You will be proud of what we do with your generosity.
Properly thought out, professionally Designed, Well Executed, and Efficiently Managed
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