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Tag: Elgeyo Marakwet County

  • Ruto to preside over 9th edition of Kaptagat Forest Conservation Saturday

    Ruto to preside over 9th edition of Kaptagat Forest Conservation Saturday

    President William Ruto is set to preside over the 9th edition of Kaptagat Forest Conservation on Saturday in Kapchorwa, Elgeyo Marakwet County.

    Speaking in Kapchorwa today, Environment and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa called on Kenyans to support President Ruto’s target of planting 15 billion trees by the year 2032.

    CS Barasa underscored the importance of the Forest Management Act in protecting these vital resources. She revealed that 90pc of the Kaptagat Forest has been restored, leading to improvements in the community’s livelihoods.

    She lauded the patron of the program, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Dr Chris Kiptoo, for helping in the forest conservation efforts, calling on other Kenyans to join hands in helping achieve the Government’s target of Planting 15 billion trees by the year 2032.

    Head of Public Service Dr. Felix Koskei revealed that the region has successfully restored 36pc of its forest cover, benefiting both the environment and the local community.

    The tree planting exercise was carried out following the clarion call by the Head of Public Service to state corporations to support the initiative through their resources.

    Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) is among the institutions that have contributed immensely to the noble cause.

  • HIV fears over condom shortage in Elgeyo Marakwet

    HIV fears over condom shortage in Elgeyo Marakwet

    Residents of Elgeyo Marakwet County are raising alarm over a growing shortage of condoms, a situation that has been blamed for a spike in new HIV infections.

    According to Professor Sylvester Kimaiyo, Chief of Party at the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH), over 6,600 people in the county are currently living with HIV, with women disproportionately affected.

    “Statistics show that 6,609 people in Elgeyo Marakwet are living with HIV. Women account for 2.6% of the infected population, while men represent 1.3%,” Prof. Kimaiyo said.

    The shortage of condoms has been identified as a major setback in ongoing efforts to prevent the spread of HIV in the region.

    However, renewed funding from the U.S. government offers a temporary lifeline for prevention and treatment initiatives. The funding, while welcome, will only cover six months.

    In response to the looming gap, Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisely Rotich has assured residents that the county government is implementing internal strategies to sustain the fight against HIV beyond AMPATH’s current funding cycle.

  • Man sentenced to 100 yrs in prison for defiling his two daughters

    Man sentenced to 100 yrs in prison for defiling his two daughters

    Iten Law Courts Principal Magistrate Virginia Karanja has sentenced a middle-aged man to 100 years in prison for defiling his daughters, aged 8 years and 1.5 years.

    The accused is believed to have committed the heinous act against the minors on 17th October 2023, in Kipkenda village, Keiyo North Sub County, Elgeyo Marakwet County.

    Karanja agreed with the submissions made by Prosecution Counsel, Bessie Gikonyo, on the maximum sentence of life imprisonment to be meted out to the accused.

    She acknowledged that the offence is prevalent in the county and that deterrent measures should be put in place.

    While delivering her verdict, the magistrate emphasised that the compelling evidence presented by the four prosecution witnesses, including the 8-year-old victim and a medical Doctor indeed confirmed that the accused committed the offence.

    She also highlighted that the act greatly affected the children and the mother and that they had to undergo psycho-social support before testifying in court.

  • 5 die, 28 hospitalized after botched circumcision in Elgeyo Marakwet County

    5 die, 28 hospitalized after botched circumcision in Elgeyo Marakwet County

    Five boys have died, while 28 others are fighting for their lives in various hospitals in Elgeyo Marakwet County due to negligence in their management after circumcision.

    The county executive for health Michael Kibiwott said health facilities in the county have witnessed an upsurge of admissions of initiates across the county and even from neighbouring counties, with most of them suffering from severe pneumonia since the onset of the circumcision season.

    Addressing the press in Iten, Kibiwott said one of the initiates was admitted at the Iten county referral hospital in the Intensive Care Unit, adding that one girl who underwent FGM had also been admitted with excessive bleeding.

    The county director of medical services Dr. Isaac Kipyego said the girl had bled to a point of becoming anaemic, adding that it was sad that some of the initiates who were treated and discharged were being taken back to the seclusion camps.

    The medic said while the procedure was not life threatening, the conditions the initiates live in the seclusion camps, where they are exposed to cold resulting in pneumonia attacks and the aftercare, following the procedure are what has led to the unnecessary loss of young lives.

    He appealed to those taking care of them to ensure they live in hygienic conditions and refer them to hospital immediately they fall ill.

    “I am also appealing to those who circumcised the boys, most of them who are medics to make a point of visiting them in the camps to ensure that they are healing properly and that they are not exposed to unhygienic conditions,” he said.

    Kibiwott said the county government together with the National Government Administration officers (NGAO) had jointly issued advisory to chiefs and ward administrators to visit the seclusion camps and ensure that initiates were being taken care of.

    The county executive said the county, while respecting the right of residents to practice their culture, was in the process of creating a policy to ensure that the rite of passage whether undertaken traditionally, medically or through non-conventional means does not lead to loss of life.

    While noting that FGM was illegal, Kibiwott said protection of life was paramount and therefore called on girls experiencing any health challenges as a result of FGM to seek treatment immediately.

    “I can assure them that they will be treated with respect, professionalism and utmost confidentiality and so they shouldn’t fear to seek treatment in any of our health facilities,” he said.

     

  • CS Nakhumicha:Documentation on agreement of CHPs monthly stipend almost done

    CS Nakhumicha:Documentation on agreement of CHPs monthly stipend almost done

    The Cabinet Secretary for Health Nakhumicha S. Wafula has revealed that plans are almost complete between the Government and County administrations in laying a framework in place to facilitate the effective remuneration of Community Health Promoters (CHPs).

    Speaking at Iten Referral Hospital Grounds in Elgeyo Marakwet County while presiding over the commemoration of World Diabetes Day,Nakhumicha underscored Kenya Kwanza administration’s plan to help in implementation of Universal Health Coverage through the involvement of CHPs.

    “The progress is encouraging in terms of addressing the needs of CHPs to help them efficiently deliver in their expected mandate of serving the community. They underwent vigorous training,already received fully equipped kits plus highly advanced smartphones so what’s remaining is stipend alone.We are in the process of signing documents with the County Governments and we’ll be good to go.I’m impressed Governor Wesley Rotich is ready to lead from the front by being number 1 to come to the office finalize on paper agreement in line of our strong resolve to mount comprehensive coverage of the entire spectrum of healthcare services, as well as its focus on Community Health” she said

    Nakhumicha who has been a number one champion of UHC last month oversaw government’s nationwide launch of an electronic community health information system (eCHIS) that marked a significant step in the nation’s journey towards implementation of provision of affordable health care to Kenyans devoid of financial hardship.

    The eCHIS launch was seen as a transformative effort aiming to digitize, equip, support, and provide salaries for all  CHPs across the country. The goal is to ensure every Kenyan household has access to well-supported grassroots personnel offering essential healthcare services.

    While commenting about the revolutionary and progressive health acts,the CS lauded new health care plan which she said is geared towards ensuring all Kenyans have an access quality healthcare in an efficient, affordable and non-discriminatory manner.

    The Act which will provide the necessary legal and institutional framework for the successful actualization of UHC are the Primary Health Care Act, 2023, the Digital Health Act, 2023, the Facility Improvement Financing Act, 2023 and the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023.

    “These Acts will ensure Diabetes and other Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) services delivery are realigned into UHC framework which will in turn enable Kenyans to access quality promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative care based on need and not ability to pay” she added

    The international community commemorates World Diabetes Day on 14 November every year, to raise awareness of the growing burden of this disease, and strategies to prevent and manage the threat.

    The government stressed on committed cause of meeting its policy objective of halting and reversing the burden of non-communicable diseases to Kenyans through various avenues including strengthening national capacity, governance, multisectoral action, and partnerships.

    This year’s theme is again “Access to diabetes care”, as it was last year, and will be again in 2023, highlighting the importance of prevention and response efforts. 

    Africa’s diabetes statistics illustrate the depth of the challenge: 24 million adults are currently living with diabetes, with that number predicted to swell by 129% to 55 million by 2045.

    Left unchecked, and without management and lifestyle changes, diabetes can lead to several debilitating complications