UNFPA country representative Ademola Olajide committed fistula repair kits to the ongoing Bungoma medical camp on Wednesday.
The medical camp, now on its third day, aims at offering corrective surgery to all patients.
The camp was organised by the Office of the First Lady with support from the MPesa Foundation, Amref and Flying Doctors Society of Africa.
It will see up to 60 mothers undergo corrective surgery by a team of specialised doctors.
Already, 26 mothers have successfully undergone surgery at the Webuye subcounty referral hospital.
This is the fourth exercise since 2018. The medical camp seeks to help hundreds of mothers who have lived with obstetric fistula for decades to recover their dignity.
The condition is largely treatable but hugely stigmatising and is responsible for impoverishing families and breaking homes.
On her part, Caroline Wangamati said the county leadership had done so much including streamlining the running of healthcare facilities and improving healthcare infrastructure but can go further with a boost from the partners.
In what signals even greater collaboration in healthcare between the county and partners, Ademola said they will be placing Bungoma top on the list of 12 focus counties.
The UN body will be working for the next five years to improve the state of healthcare and addressing the worrying statistics of maternal health and specifically teen pregnancies.
The move followed discussions in which Governor Wycliffe Wangamati highlighted what he has done to improve healthcare in the county, the real burden of disease and areas in which partners could step in and help.
Specifically, he requested UNFPA and MPesa Foundation to help equip the 300-bed capacity mother and child hospital due for completion in a month - a challenge the two entities accepted to undertake.
Head of MPesa Foundation Karen Basiye said as an institution and in collaboration with others, they will be investing in equipping the facility.
This is towards ensuring that no mother suffers the indignity of the fistula or any other gynaecological complications because they are bringing forth life.
Other high-ranking officials that were part of the discussions are Advisor on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights at UNFPA Dan Okoro, Flying Doctors Society of Africa CEO Tanya Nduati and representatives from AMREF.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
