H.E Governor Alex Tolgos presided over the transition ceremony for the Enhancing Nutrition Services to Improve Maternal and Child Health (ENRICH) at Cheptebo Agricultural Training Centre.
The project, implemented over five years since 2016 and supported by World Vision Canada together with their consortium partners to a tune of over Ksh 492 Million, comes to an end on September 30th and will be taken over by the County Government.
The Governor expressed satisfaction with the milestones ENRICH achieved in promotion of Maternal and Child Health, uptake of nutritional foods, planting and consumption of bio fortified crops as well as strengthening County health systems.
Tolgos particularly singled out alleviation of stunted growth among children saying the programme had greatly reduced the number of children suffering from this disorder, whose percentages in Elgeyo Marakwet is among the highest in the Country.
He said the ENRICH programme was able to rehabilitate a total of 104 moderately malnourished children and reached 74,347 children for various health interventions.
Together with women and men, ENRICH directly benefitted 288,209 residents in the County while another 138,501 people benefitted indirectly.
“As a County, ENRICH helped strengthen County Health Systems by equipping 130 health facilities with assorted medical equipment worth Ksh 50 million to provide integrated nutrition services,” said the Governor.
The Governor thanked World Vision Canada, Nutrition International, Harvest Plus, University of Toronto, KALRO, Egerton University, National and County government departments for collaboration in implementing the project.
Present during the function were Senior Officials of the Consortium partners led by World Vision Northern Regional Manager, Catherine Timbomei and the Program Office Health Nutrition officer Irene Kwamboka.
County government officials present included the County Secretary and head of Public Service Paul Chemmuttut, Agriculture and Health CECs Anne Kibosia and Anita Kimwatan alongside the Deputy County Commissioner Mr Julius Maiyo who represented the county commissioner and Health Chief Officer Josephat Maiyo.
According to Ms Kwamboka, the program achieved the intended targets with women observing exclusive breastfeeding having improved from 42.6% to 62.9%.
She said this was achieved through formation of 485 community based neighbor peer groups which have been helpful in enhancing impactful public awareness.
During the event, assets used during the programme including two four wheel drive Land Cruiser vehicles were handed over to community organisations and the County Government.
The two Land Cruiser vehicles were donated to Cheptebo ATC while the other went to Chesongoch Mission Hospital.
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