KWALE, Kenya, Feb 19 – Kwale County Governor, Fatuma Achani, has reiterated her Administration’s resolve to deliver quality healthcare services to area residents.
Governor Achani noted that quality healthcare delivery to the people of the coastal County was one of the primary concerns of her Administration.
She underscored the urgency to recruit more health workers in the County in order to boost healthcare delivery and meet the healthcare demands of the people.
Achani says her Administration remains committed to upgrading primary healthcare facilities, equipping them and post manpower, to guarantee an efficient healthcare system in the region.
She stated this when she officially opened Kasemeni Health Centre in Mwereni Ward, Lunga Lunga Sub-county.
The construction of the facility was funded by development partners from the Netherlands, through Saidia Kwale Foundation and the Kwale County Government.
Addressing residents present during the event, the Governor thanked Hendrick Stenganga of Saidia Kwale Foundation, for funding the project that will help the residents of Kasemeni.
The County Boss stated that health is among the sectors prioritized by the devolved unit and that her Administration, will ensure all residents get access to quality reliable healthcare services near them.
“We have already deployed medical personnel to this facility and in the near future we will ensure that we put up staff houses for them,” she said, adding that she is determined to build a resilient primary healthcare system.
She said before the inception of devolution in 2013, Kwale had only 35 health centres, but today has 150 health facilities spread in the six sub counties of Matuga, Msambweni, Kinango, Samburu, Shimba Hills and Lungalunga.
She noted that adequate and equitable distribution of health care facilities in rural areas is critical to human capital development and expressed her commitment to increase funding for primary health care.
Achani also assured development partners and investors that the devolved government will work closely with them in all projects initiated in the County.
Stenganga thanked the County Government for the good collaboration in all their projects in the County and promised to continue funding other projects, aimed at helping the community.
He said healthcare is generally accepted to be one of the key indicators of social development in any society and to improve healthcare is to improve the standard of living of the people.
“We have partnered with the devolved government on matters of health, because we are cognizant of the fact that rural areas require more health centres,” he said, adding that people in rural areas are often forced to walk long distances to access health services.
Later the Governor officially opened Bang’a Primary School dormitory in Puma Ward, which was funded by Saidia Kwale Foundation.
She said the modern dormitory has a capacity to accommodate 50 pupils.
Achani said she appreciates the good hand Mr Stenganga is extending to Kwale County, having constructed Kasemeni health facility and both the girls’ and boys’ dormitory in Banga Primary School.
“We will always partner with investors to make Kwale the best county,” she said.
“As a County we are ready to welcome well-wishers and donors from all over the world to help improve our infrastructure,” she added.