NAIROBI, June 10 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government, together with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), has launched a 3-million-U.S.-dollar initiative in Kenya to promote maternal and newborn health.
Senior government officials, diplomats and representatives of multilateral agencies attended the launch of the program, dubbed "Promotion of Health and Well-being of Women and Children in Kenya," on Tuesday in Nairobi. The program, funded through the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), will target Mandera, Garissa and Wajir counties.
Aden Duale, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Health, lauded China and UNICEF for investing in a program that seeks to ensure that women, newborns and children in marginalized counties have access to quality healthcare services.
"This project will strengthen facility readiness, improve the availability of essential equipment and commodities, build the capacity of frontline health workers, and improve water and sanitation infrastructure within health facilities," Duale said in a speech read on his behalf by Patrick Amoth, director-general for health in the health ministry.
Duale added that the initiative aligns with Kenya's pursuit of universal health coverage by eliminating financial barriers for poor households, prioritizing data and accountability, promoting equity, and ensuring the timely identification of pregnancies and referral of mothers and newborns to health facilities.
Guo Haiyan, Chinese ambassador to Kenya, said the project will deliver people-centered outcomes by equipping health facilities in the three counties with modern equipment and essential supplies, helping reduce maternal and newborn mortality.
According to Guo, the project will build the capacity of 600 healthcare providers, including clinical officers, nurses, midwives, and nutritionists.
"We are ready to work hand in hand with UNICEF and Kenya's Ministry of Health to ensure high-quality project delivery with people-centered outcomes," Guo said.
Guan Zhiyong, deputy director-general of CIDCA's Department of International Cooperation, said in a video message that the health sector has been at the center of bilateral cooperation between China and Kenya, yielding positive results.
China's Global Development Initiative (GDI) has prioritized international cooperation in areas that deliver positive health outcomes, he said, noting that the China-UNICEF partnership has led to the implementation of projects promoting maternal and infant health worldwide in line with the aspirations of the GDI. ■