Tessie Mudavadi urges Counties to maintain incubators to save premature babies

Kisumu, Kenya – In her speech during the ninth phase of the Okoa Malaika initiative at Lumumba Sub-County Hospital, Tessie Mudavadi, wife of Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, emphasized the importance of maintaining donated incubators to reduce preventable newborn deaths. She highlighted inadequate access to essential equipment as a major hindrance for health workers striving to save premature babies.

The initiative has provided incubators to health facilities, aiming to enhance newborn care and improve survival rates for premature infants. Mudavadi stressed that incubators offer more than medical equipment; they provide protection and a significant opportunity for survival. She noted that while health workers possess the knowledge, skills, and commitment to save lives, they often lack the necessary resources, including essential equipment.

This initiative aligns with the government's Every Woman, Every Newborn, Everywhere (EWENE) Acceleration Plan 2026–2028, launched by President William Ruto in May, which focuses on increasing access to antenatal care, skilled deliveries, postnatal care, and emergency obstetric and newborn care. The Okoa Malaika program, supported by Mudavadi's Ushiriki Wema Foundation, aims to bridge the gap between national commitments and local implementation by translating the national framework into county-specific priorities.

Mudavadi stressed the need for closer collaboration between national and county governments, civil society organizations, development partners, and communities to strengthen maternal and newborn healthcare. She urged beneficiary counties and health facilities to ensure the donated incubators are properly installed and maintained, emphasizing that sustained investment in medical equipment, trained health workers, and functional health facilities is crucial for providing quality care to mothers and newborns, regardless of their location.