GE Healthcare, Beyond Zero Initiative partner to improve Kenya primary healthcare
GE Healthcare and Beyond Zero
(www.BeyondZero.or.ke) Initiative are teaming up to improve access to quality
and affordable primary healthcare services in Kisumu County.
In the second Beyond Zero Medical
Safari, GE Healthcare is providing antenatal screening for expectant women,
fetal monitoring, and ECG screening for early detection of cardiovascular
anomalies, as well as vital signs monitoring.
Since 2014, Beyond Zero has been
working to promote access to quality maternal and neonatal healthcare services
across Kenya.
The initiative has rolled out
mobile clinics in 47 counties that provided integrated services such as HIV
testing, treatment and care, immunization and basic treatment for common
ailments. In 2018, it launched its 2nd strategic framework which is anchored in
the principle of leaving no one behind and adopts a life-cycle approach
targeting pregnant women and newborns, infants and children, adolescents and
young people, men, and older persons. According to Beyond Zero, the 2nd
strategic framework will catalyze action for equitable provision of health,
build partnerships and synergies to mobilize Kenyans, leverage the first lady
of Kenya’s convening power for multi-disciplinary mobilization for results and
enhance leadership, commitment and accountability.
Speaking at the Beyond Zero
Medical Safari in Kisumu, First Lady Margaret Kenyatta said that the
achievement of universal healthcare coverage is possible with the right
public-private partnerships.
“Our common goal of providing
equitable access to quality and affordable health services for every Kenyan is
achievable with the participation of a diverse network of stakeholders in the
public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Strengthening primary healthcare is
a critical component towards achieving universal health coverage in Kenya,”
said First Lady Margaret Kenyatta.
Andrew Waititu, General Manager,
GE Healthcare, East Africa said GE is proud to support better health outcomes
for all in Kenya.
“GE Healthcare is keen to
collaborate with all counties to support the goal of ensuring access to quality
and affordable healthcare services for Kenyans. Focusing on innovative delivery
models, appropriate technologies, impactful partnerships as well as building
skills for healthcare professionals, GE Healthcare is driven to deliver
sustainable primary healthcare solutions in the country,” Waititu said.
Adequate and appropriate care
delivered by well-trained personnel is an imperative for any health system to
deliver on national and global healthcare commitments such as Universal Health
Coverage.
In September, nurses and clinical
officers in Kisumu County received 70 hours of training on the use of GE
Healthcare’s portable handheld ultrasound device designed to help primary
healthcare workers estimate gestational age, better plan and manage
pregnancies, and conduct examinations that may result in the early detection of
potentially life-threatening pregnancy complications. Programs such as these
will help sustain the efforts delivered during the beyond Zero Safari.
Over the past three years, GE has
implemented and is implementing 17 similar primary healthcare (PHC) programs
that link care from “community to the hospital” in seven countries. GE
implements its PHC programs via a collaborative framework of strategic partners
and stakeholders that includes governments, funding agencies, professional
associations, local NGOs, academic institutions, among others. These programs,
in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Tanzania have
delivered measurable impact in terms of improved maternal and newborn outcomes;
over 100,000 expectant women and newborns have directly benefitted; and
trained, including task shifting, over 1,100 primary healthcare workers,
including community health workers, midwives, nurses, and clinical officers.
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