The facility will comprise of an operating theatre for caesarean sections, a neonatal high-dependency unit for newborns in need of special care, and a maternity wing designed to offer a secure environment for high-risk expectant and postpartum mothers, as well as child and adolescent mothers.

In 2023, the Maa Trust coordinated fundraising for the construction, equipping, and operationalization of a Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) facility at CHP Talek Health Centre.

The construction of the facility was completed, and it became operational this year through collaboration between a diverse group of partners, including Hemingways Collection, the M-Pesa Foundation, Gertrude’s Hospital Foundation, the John and Jennifer Guistina Family Fund, and the Narok County Government, among others.

In a press statement sent to newsrooms, Hemingways Collection Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Ross Evans announced that Hemingways has committed to a bed-night donation at both Hemingways Nairobi for Sh260 ($2) per
bed night and Hemingways Ol Seki for Sh650 ($5) per bed night to fund the continuing operations of the MNCH.

‘We have so far contributed Sh1.9 million ($14,500) to the facility, and we encourage our guests at Hemingways Ol Seki to visit the Maa Trust Headquarters to learn more about the organisation and the amazing impact they are having in the community and on conservation in the Mara ecosystem,’ said Evans.

He added that the funding will also support doctor salaries, anaesthetists, and nurses to ensure that mothers and babies receive good-quality medical care on an ongoing basis.

The CEO assured of Hemingways support and partnership with Crystal and her team at the Maa Trust.

The facility has been tailor-made to cater for high-risk pregnancies, including those of adolescent mothers. The Maa Trust anticipates that it will take two years for it to reach financial sustainability.

In her remarks, Maa Trust Chief Executive Officer Dr. Crystal Mogensen said the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) Cent
re is her personal passion project, borne of the difficulties she experienced while delivering at Maasai Mara.

‘In 2021, I went into labour 10 weeks prematurely here in the Maasai Mara. It was only because of an emergency helicopter evacuation to Nairobi that my son survived. I have also just come through another high-risk pregnancy with my daughter, who arrived safely, only four weeks prematurely,’ Dr. Mogensen recalled.

She added, ‘It is not very often that a wide array of camps, companies, and non-profits are willing to work together on a project, but this health facility has brought unity, with construction and equipping costing Sh66 million.’

The centre is integrated with the Daktari Smart Telemedicine programme, which ensures seamless access to specialist consultations from Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital, thus eliminating the need for patients to travel to Nairobi.

Visitors can also buy ‘Mama Kits’, which are packed with essential items for new moms and babies and which are given to all mothers who
deliver at the new maternity facility, encouraging them to deliver their baby in a safe, clinic-based environment rather than at home.

These Mama Kits are on sale at Hemingways Ol Seki’s gift shop and provide further support and impact at MNCH.

Source: Kenya News Agency