Okoa Malaika Distributes 92 Incubators to Support Premature Babies Across 44 Counties
By Njeri Irungu A former premature baby’s survival story took centre stage in Nyeri as the Okoa Malaika Infant Pre-Term Mitigation Programme marked three years of supporting newborn care in Kenya, with its latest equipment handover bringing the initiative’s total distribution to 92 incubators across 44 counties. Christopher Wambugu, Senior Chief for Nyeri Central, recalled how his child was born prematurely at seven months in 2013 at Nyeri County Referral Hospital and survived after being placed in an incubator. He said the experience had given him a personal understanding of the importance of specialised equipment in saving newborn lives. “My baby survived because of an incubator,” Wambugu said, adding that families with premature babies often depend on such equipment while hoping their children will pull through. The latest handover, held at Nyeri County Referral Hospital on November 14, coincided with the programme’s third anniversary and the completion of Phase 10 of it...