The Ministry of Health is pursuing a new financing deal with Austria to expand maternal and neonatal healthcare at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale met Austrian Health Minister Korinna Schumann in Vienna on Wednesday, September 16, during the International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference to discuss funding for the second phase of the Mother and Child-Our Future programme.

The initiative builds on Austria’s earlier commitment of Ksh900 million (€6.4 million) during the 2018/2019 financial year to support specialised care at KNH.

According to the CS, the funding enabled the hospital to acquire medical equipment and train healthcare workers in paediatric emergency and intensive care, maternity critical care, and surgical services.

📌 What You Need to Know

“Under the €6.4 million (KSh900 million) agreement signed in the 2018/2019 financial year, Austria supported Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) with specialised medical equipment and staff training, strengthening paediatric emergency and intensive care, surgical theatres and maternity critical care services,” he said.

Duale noted that Kenya wants the next phase to maintain and broaden the gains made under the initial programme.

The push comes as KNH continues to handle a large number of complicated maternal and newborn cases referred from other health facilities.

The Ministry said additional support would help address pressure on hospital infrastructure and improve the facility’s ability to manage referrals.

“With KNH continuing to receive a high number of complex maternal and neonatal referrals, we emphasised the need to sustain and expand this support to ease pressure on infrastructure, reduce waiting times and strengthen the hospital's capacity as a regional centre of excellence for specialised care,” Duale added.

It would also target reduced waiting times and stronger capacity for specialised maternal and neonatal treatment.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke