Waiguru seeks COG and Bill Gates partnership to improve service delivery

 The
Mountain Journal

County governments have asked for direct
partnership with development partners in order to speed up the implementation
of programs and projects in the counties.

 In a round table meeting between the
Council of Governors (COG) and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) led by
its Co- Chair Bill Gates, the COG Chair Anne Waiguru said that even though
County Governments have made significant strides towards realizing the
devolution dream, they required collaborations in many areas.

 The meeting was also attended by the
foundation’s Global Director, Benjamin Piper, the Africa Director, Cheikh Oumar
Seydi and the East African Regional Representative, Samburu Wa-Shiko.

 Some of the avenues of collaboration
singled out by COG included funding of various primary health care initiatives
at the county level with a view of cascading key interventions aimed at attainment
of Universal Health Coverage in the country.

 She asked for support in advocacy
programs on Reproductive Health in order to reduce adolescent and teenage pregnancy
as well as support in establishment of child day-care homes where young mothers
can leave their children as they seek education.

 She noted that by taking health service
closer to the people through devolution, there have been key achievement in the
health sector including the reduction of maternal mortality rate from
364/100,000 live births in 2013 to 355/100,000 live births in 2021. The neonatal
mortality has also reduced from 23 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2013 to 20
deaths in 2021.  She said that scaling up
of Service Delivery Redesign program should be done to cover all counties in
order to further reduce child mortality rates.

 She added that there has also been
increased immunization of children from 74% in 2014to 82.8% in 2021 due to
improved healthcare systems across the county.

 She sought partnership in strengthening primary
healthcare through interventions such as capacity building of community health
volunteers, traditional birth attendants and through technology such as point
of care ultra soundShe noted that COG and BMGF have
previously partnered in health matters and assured the foundation of COG’s support
in ensuring sustainable and optimal gain from the foundation’s investment.

 Waiguru also sought partnership in
technology to support open governance system to enhance transparency and
effective service delivery. This is through automation of government services
across devolved sectors such health, revenue collection, agriculture extension
services, waste management and urban planning and development. 

 On agriculture, the governor said that
counties have invested in provision of agricultural inputs to farmers,
reduction cost of mechanization and increased market and value addition. She
pointed out that counties are investing 35 billion in agriculture. She called
for collaboration to strengthen value addition in the different agricultural
value chains.

 She affirmed the COG’s commitment to the
full implementation of Sustainable Development Goals, noting that counties have
put in place SDG units to track and report progress of implementation.

 COG also sought partnership in strengthening
the capacities of county governments in climate change and responsive delivery mechanisms.
“ The COG cannot turn a blind eye to the impacts of climate change and that
lasting solutions can only be achieved through joint locally-led climate
actions at the lowest level” she said.

 The chair said that the COG is committed
to partnering in strengthening of climate change adaptation initiatives such as
adoption of smart agriculture through improved drought resistant seeds and
improved dairy breeds for increased milk production. She pointed out on the
need to build resilience of the communities by investing in dams for irrigation
water which will ensure there is food security.

 She particularly noted that women suffer
disproportionately from impacts of climate change since they already face
existing gender inequalities that pose unique threats to their livelihoods,
health and safety.

 She noted that the women, therefore, are
critical in implementation of climate changes actions at the counties.

 She said that that Kirinyaga County
Government which she heads has been in the forefront in designing and
implementing programs that are geared towards environmental conservation,
climate change adaptation and resilience.

 She pointed out that her administration
has been supporting women to diversify agricultural production through Wezesha
Kirinyaga economic empowerment program. Through the program, farmers are funded
to undertake poultry, dairy, pigs, avocado, macadamia and dairy farming as well
as bee keeping.  Avocado and Macadamia
farming provide farmers with an income and help in increasing the county’s tree
cover.

 The COG Chair reaffirmed the commitment
of the county governments in championing devolution and urged partners like
BMGF to work closely with the devolved units since they have a robust funds
flow mechanism.

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