SPEECH BY KIRINYAGA COUNTY FIRST LADY H.E.

MRS
EUNICE NDATHI DURING THE LAUNCH OF THE BEYOND
ZERO MOBILE CLINIC ON THURSDAY 23RD JUNE 2016 AT
WANGURU STADIUM, MWEA.
YOUR EXCELLENCY, MRS MARGARET KENYATTA; FIRST LADY
REPUBLIC OF KENYA
YOUR EXCELLENCY, HON JOSEPH NDATHI, THE GOVERNOR,
KIRINYAGA COUNTY
HON CLEOPA MAILU, THE CABINET SECRETARY FOR HEALTH,
KENYA
DR NICHOLAS MURAGURI; PRINCIPAL SECRETARY HEALTH,
KENYA
ALL OTHER LEADERS PRESENT,
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS,
PARTNERS, INVITED GUESTS,
ALL PROTOCALS OBSERVED.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
o

TODAY IS A SPECIAL DAY AND A BLESSING TO OUR COUNTY TO

RECEIVE OUR DISTINGUISHED VISITOR, HER EXCELLENCY
MARGARET KENYATTA, THE 1ST LADY OF THIS GREAT NATION.
HER EXCELLENCY, KARIBU KIRINYAGA! KARIBUNI WAGENI
WETU KUTOKA SEHEMU MBALI-MBALI ZA NCHI YETU!
HER EXCELLENCY, I PROFOUNDLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR
UNIQUE AND NOBLE INITIATIVE OF BEYOND ZERO CAMPAIGN,
AND APPLAUD YOUR NOBLE EFFORT OF RAISING VISIBILITY AND
RESOURCES FOR THE BEYOND ZERO CAMPAIGN PARTICULARLY
DURING THE NAIROBI HALF MARATHON IN MARCH 2014, AND THE
LONDON MARATHON IN APRIL 2014 FOR WHICH YOU WON THE
2014 UN PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD.
I ALSO CONGRATULATE YOU FOR YOUR DETERMINATION TO
MOBILIZE RESOURCES TO REALIZE YOUR GOAL OF ENSURING
THAT ALL THE 47 COUNTIES IN KENYA RECEIVE A MOBILE CLINIC.
THIS MANIFESTS THE STRENGTH OF A WOMAN
THERE IS NEED TO INTRODUCE SMARTER AND SUSTAINABLE
MODELS TO ADDRESS THE DEPLORABLE HIGH NUMBERS OF
MATERNAL AND CHILD DEATHS IN THE COUNTRY/COUNTY; FOR
NO

WOMAN/CHILD

SHOULD

DIE

DURING

PREGNANCY/BIRTH/PUEPERIUM PERIOD OR DUE TO HIV

INFECTION. I BELIEVE WITH ALL MY HEART THAT WITH
BEYOND ZERO VAN PEOPLE WILL NOW ABLE TO ACCESS
HEALTHCARE SERVICES INCLUDING IMMUNIZATION, HIV/AIDS
TESTING, ANTE-NATAL CARE, PREVENTION OF MOTHER-TO-CHILD
TRANSMISSION OF HIV/AIDS, POST NATAL CARE AND SAFE

DELIVERY AMONG OTHER SERVICES IN KIRINYAGA COUNTY

THROUGH MOVING CLINIC ESPECIALLY THE REMOTE AREAS OF
MWEA REGION WHERE HEALTH FACILITIES ARE WIDER APART
AND BICYCLES AND MOTORBIKES ARE THE ONLY AVAILABLE
MEANS

OF

COMMUNICATION

WHICH

ARE

NOT

ONLY

UNCOMFORTABLE BUT CAUSE MORE COMPLICATIONS.

HER EXCELLENCY, I HAVE BEEN CHAMPIONING THE ACTIVITIES
GEARED TOWARDS IMPROVING THE MATERNAL AND CHILD
HEALTH AND ALSO REDUCING MORBID AND MORTALITY DUE TO
HIV INFECTIONS

IN

KIRINYAGA COUNTY. TOWARDS

THIS

ENDEAVOR KIRINYAGA HEALTH AND WHOLENESS FOUNDATION

WAS LAUNCHED AIMED AT EDUCATING COMMUNITIES ON SAFE
DELIVERIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR HEALTH FACILITIES,
CANCER SCREENING, EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING AND GROWTH
MONITORING FOR THE CHILDREN. I AM ALSO WORKING WITH
OUR HEALTH PARTNERS JHPIEGO AND HEALTH HEART AFRICA TO
SCREEN AND REFER ANY WOMEN WITH HYPERTENSION FOR
FURTHER MANAGEMENT TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE SAFE
PREGNANCIES AND DELIVERIES.
HER EXCELLENCY, AS PART OF MY KEEP THE MOTHERS CLEAN
INITIATIVE I HAVE BEEN VISITING HEALTH FACILITIES ASSISTING
WOMEN WHO DELIVER WITH SANITARY PADS, BREAST PADS,
BABYS ESSENTIALS AMONG OTHER ITEMS, ESPECIALLY THOSE
FROM HUMBLE BACKGROUNDS. IN ADDITION, I AM PARTNERING
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO EDUCATE WOMEN ON
HOW

TO

MAINTAIN

PROPER

PERSONAL

HYGIENE

AFTER

DELIVERY. WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THESE ACTIVITIES AS PART

OF THE BROADER MATERNAL, NEWBORN AND CHILD HEALTH
ACTIVITIES.
HER EXCELLENCY WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VISIT
AND VISION FOR THE KENYAN MOTHER AND CHILD. WE
UNDERTAKE TO RE-DEDICATE OUR EFFORT TO THE GOOD WORK
AND MAKE THE DREAM OF EVERY WOMAN, EVERY CHILD, EVERY
FAMILY COME TRUE IN THIS COUNTY. I PERSONALLY COMMIT TO
CHAMPION THIS WORTHY COURSE.
GOD BLESS YOU,
GOD BLESS KIRINYAGA COUNTY,
GOD BLESS KENYA.