First Lady Rachel Ruto inaugurated a drone initiative at Huruma Sub-County Hospital, aimed at collecting medical samples from facilities across Uasin Gishu County for analysis.
This initiative is a collaboration between Uasin Gishu County, Israeli, and German organizations, leveraging technology to provide diagnosis before treatment.
“I have received information that the drone will transport medical samples from the Chagia Health Centre in Ainabkoi Constituency, the furthest health care centre in the county, to Huruma Sub-County Hospital in just seven minutes,” she announced during the launch on June 11.
The First Lady explained that the results would be electronically relayed to specific health centers once the samples were analyzed at a central facility.
Rachel Ruto emphasized that this initiative would enhance healthcare access, particularly for those in remote areas who previously had to travel to main towns for quality laboratory services.
Additionally, she commissioned the first maternity hospital for maternal and neonatal services in Uasin Gishu County, now renamed in her honor.
“With a capacity of 70 beds, this specialized maternity facility will ensure the safety and well-being of mothers and children, advancing the country’s capacity to offer maternal, neonatal, prenatal, and pediatric care in the county and the larger North Rift region,” she stated.
According to the Kenya Demographic Health Survey 2022, 14.4 percent of women in Uasin Gishu cannot access a health facility within an hour when in need of healthcare services.
The newly launched facility is equipped with a fully equipped theater, a stocked pharmacy, modern diagnostic ultrasound, an x-ray unit, and an ICT center.
The First Lady added that the facility’s operation would enhance maternal and neonatal healthcare services and serve as a referral center for mother and baby emergency cases, aiming to reduce the mortality rate.
