By AGWANDA SAYE: Site preparation is officially underway for the construction of a modern Mother and Child Unit at the Kisumu County Referral Hospital.

Heavy machinery, including bulldozers, moved into the site over the weekend to clear old staff quarters and demolish remaining dilapidated structures.

As part of the preliminary ground clearance, the hospital’s incinerator was also relocated to create adequate space for the new specialized medical complex.

The groundbreaking project fulfills a executive pledge made during a local visit by President William Samoei Ruto, a commitment that was reaffirmed in a recent meeting between Cabinet Secretary for Health and Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o.

Highlighting the importance of the initiative, Kisumu County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Medical Services, Gregory Ganda, emphasized the administration’s dedicated follow-through on health infrastructure improvements.

“This is part of the commitment made by His Excellency President William Samoei Ruto to the leadership of Kisumu on this request during his visit to the county, and reaffirmed last week during the meeting between the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o,” Dr Ganda noted.

Once fully constructed, the 250-bed flagship facility will consolidate specialized maternal and newborn health services under one roof.

Designed to offer high-level care, the center will feature dedicated maternal and neonatal operating theatres, a Maternal High Dependency Unit (HDU), and a Maternal Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

To support vulnerable infants, the facility will house a dedicated Newborn Unit alongside a specialized Neonatal ICU.

Additionally, the development plan incorporates comprehensive outpatient services and hostel accommodation designed for mothers whose babies are admitted to the newborn unit, ensuring families remain close during critical recovery periods.

Dr Ganda underscored the broader impact of the project on regional healthcare access, noting that the infrastructure will transform maternal health outcomes across the county.

“This is more than a new building,” Dr Ganda said adding that, “It is an investment in the safety of mothers and newborns and in the capacity of Kisumu County to provide increasingly specialized care close to home.”