By Njeri Irungu,
March 8, 2026.
Chuka, Tharaka Nithi.
The spouse of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Chairperson of the Ushiriki Wema Foundation, H.E. Tessie Musalia Mudavadi (MBS), on Sunday led the donation of neonatal incubators to Tharaka Nithi, Embu and Meru counties through the Foundation’s Okoa Malaika Program, in a move aimed at strengthening newborn care and reducing neonatal mortality in Kenya.
The donation, made during The International Women’s Day celebration held at Chuka County Referral Hospital, marked Phase 7 of the Okoa Malaika initiative, which has now reached 28 counties across the country. The program focuses on equipping health facilities with essential neonatal equipment to improve survival chances for premature and vulnerable newborns.
Speaking during the celebration, Madam Musalia underscored the urgent need to invest in neonatal healthcare, noting that prematurity remains one of the leading causes of newborn deaths worldwide. In Kenya, she said, inadequate neonatal intensive care units and limited equipment continue to hinder efforts to save newborn lives.
According to health data, 4,112 newborn deaths were recorded in health facilities out of the 20,156 deaths of children under five in the country. Experts estimate that nearly three-quarters of these deaths could be prevented through cost-effective interventions such as improved neonatal care and the availability of life-saving equipment.
Madam Musalia urged the public to look beyond the machines and focus on the women whose resilience sustains life during its most fragile moments, emphasizing the critical role mothers and caregivers play in nurturing newborns.
The incubators were officially handed over to the county leadership during the ceremony, with Tharaka Nithi First Lady Margaret Muthoni and Embu First Lady Njoki Mambo receiving the equipment on behalf of their respective counties.
The event coincided with celebrations marking this year’s International Women’s Day under the theme “Give to Gain.” Leaders and community members used the occasion to highlight the importance of collective responsibility in safeguarding maternal and child health.
In a celebratory moment following the handover, Madam Musalia joined Tharaka Nithi First Lady Margaret Muthoni and local cultural ambassadors in a traditional dance, symbolizing unity and community support for initiatives that protect the lives of mothers and newborns across the region.
