Chief Officer Education, Technology and Vocational Training Mr Abdalla Ahmed meets instructors and trainees at the Witu and Mpeketoni Vocational Training Centers during a familiarisation tour. Mr. Ahmed is among the 13 newly appointed Chief Officers .

The Lamu County Government under the leadership of Governor Fahim Twaha has reviewed the TVETs curricula to enable the institutions develop local experts with creative skills to improve Lamu’s creative economy. School fees in all the TVET institutions has been scrapped off to increase enrolment for youth keen to develop their creative skillsets.

The County now boasts of 14 satellite Vocational Training Centers across the County from just 4 in 2017. Youth trainees across the County have an opportunity to build their creative skills in beauty therapy, carpentry, fashion design, masonry and plumbing among others which will help build the local creative economy. The courses are offered free of charge to Lamu Youths.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Lamu County Government has launched a community sensitization program on maternity and newborn healthcare across the county in order to prevent COVID-19-related maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Pregnant women are encouraged to start antenatal clinic visits early and present themselves early at health institutions if they go into labor under the Department of Health’s initiative.

It has begun community advocacy across the county, and home visits by community health volunteers will begin soon.

The initiative is based on data by the Department of Health showing that pregnant mothers were afraid of contracting COVID-19 if they went to a hospital for maternal and perinatal care.

CECM Health Dr Anne Gathoni, speaking at the county headquarters in Mokowe, highlighted that the initiative’s purpose is to minimize baby and maternal mortality through involving families, communities, and decision-makers.

“We know that the overall message to the public is to avoid going to hospital unless absolutely necessary in order to avoid contracting Covid-19. However, pregnant women should begin seeking antenatal care as soon as they know they are expecting,” Dr. Gathoni stated. Antenatal care is vital for detecting risk factors such as past obstetric history, repeated fetal status assessments, as well as basic health care education and management.

“According to the data, seven perinatal deaths and 5 neonatal deaths were recorded at Mpeketoni Sub-County Hospital in September, compared to an average of two to three newborn deaths in the previous months. This is attributed to expectant patients delaying access to healthcare institutions for basic services following the fourth wave of the pandemic.

Dr. Gathoni also stated that the County Government plans to open an operating theater at Witu Health Centre to relieve pressure on the Mpeketoni Sub-County Hospital. Evidence from across Kenya indicates that during the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital services were either stretched to their full capacity or became overwhelmed, exacerbating maternal healthcare issues.

By improving care quality and expanding the availability of high-quality health services for mothers and newborns, Lamu County has made recent success in improving neonatal survival and promoting health and welfare of mothers and newborns.

The County has purchased a new ambulance dedicated to maternal healthcare, completed an MCH block with a mother/child clinic, and established a telemedicine consultation unit with Gertrudes Hospital for children in need of specialized treatment. It also bought a new lab analyzer and restocked a quarterly supply of vital drugs and medical supplies.

Pregnant mothers are also encouraged to get vaccinated against Covid 19. The vaccine is safe for use during pregnancy, and helps improve mother/baby outcomes.

-Ends-

Story by: Athman Omar

For more information contact:

Lamu County Government Communications Office at info@lamu.go.ke

The County Government of Lamu through the department of Health Services is calling on residents to take up vaccination as a key mitigation measure against the Covid-19 pandemic.

CECM Health, Dr Anne Gathoni explains that, the vaccine provides an extra layer of protection encouraging more residents to get the jab .

“The vaccine is being administered free of charge to everyone who is 18 years and above . Please note that, full protection is only attained after one receives the recommended number of doses, that is two doses of the vaccine. Therefore, it is important that we all adhere to the schedule” says Dr Gathoni.

The vaccination is offered on Tuesday and Thursday. So far, over 3,200 residents have received at least one dose.

The vaccination centres in Lamu County include;

-Lamu County Hospital(King Fahd)

– Mpeketoni Sub-County Hospital

-Faza Sub-County Hospital

-Witu Health Centre

-Mokowe Health Centre

– Hindi Magogoni Dispensary.

To make the process faster, those who can, are advised to pre-register on the vaccination portal; http//portal.health.go.ke

On August 23rd, the county initiated public education campaigns on fundamental COVID-19 protocols through the Department of Health increasing community engagement and participatory approaches to help control spread of the virus.

This was following an analysis of socio-behavioural data by the County department of health which indicated unprecedented need to elevate awareness, at a time when pandemic fatigue is increasing, people becoming more complacent, and risk perceptions lowering across the country.

#KomeshaCorona

#StopTheSpread

-Ends-

Story by Lamu Governors Press

For more information contact:

Lamu County Government Communications Office at info@lamu.go.ke

H.E. Saleh Sulaiman Al Harthi ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman and Chairman National Archive and Recording of Oman Dr. Hamad Al-Dhaiwani, paid a courtesy call on H.E Governor Fahim Twaha at the County headquarters in Mokowe . They discussed areas of possible cooperation in economy, tourism and trade sectors.

The Omani delegation is on a three day tour of Lamu county on a mission to encounter a culture and lifestyle almost unchanged since the rule of the Omani empire in Lamu over 200 years ago.

” We have already visited Pate Island . Meeting the people of Pate is very enjoyable, we are in the process of documenting the Lamu culture which is very similar to Oman culture and restore connection between Lamu and Oman ” Said Amb. Saleh Sulaiman

Governor Fahim Twaha said the visit is timely recounting Lamu’s ‘Golden Age’ during its years as an Omani protectorate from the late 17th century to the early 19th century when it became a centre of poetry, politics, arts and crafts, literature, scholarship, and trade. He said the two share rich history that is in danger of being lost hence the need to conserve it. He proposed a student exchange program to strengthen the connection .

The Governor later hosted the delegation for lunch where they experienced Lamu’s well-preserved traditional cuisine in Shela .

Ends-

Story by: Abdalla Simba and Adam Musa

For more information contact:

Lamu County Government Communications Office at info@lamu.go.ke

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

19 households housing over 52 orphaned children at the MAUDHI CHILDREN’S HOME in Mapenya, today received relief food under the County’s initiative to cushion residents against the effects of the prevailing drought in Mkunumbi ward.

The food will benefit the orphans and their caregivers. The County food drive was launched on 20th September in Moa Witu and targets to support over 32,000 households County wide.

Meanwhile, efforts to ensure a ‘ Food Secure Lamu’ are well underway . The County Government is in the process of procuring certified seeds for distribution to all farmers as well as purchase of 10 new fully loaded tractors to spur mechanization of farms by opening up more land for farming and reducing dependence on manual labor.

With the new tractors the County Will be able to plough over 20,000 acres compared to the 8,000 acres ploughed yearly with the nine operational tractors .

Lamu Water and Sewerage Company’s emergency water trucking program has also been distributing water to areas currently facing acute water shortage including Dide Waride, Pandanguo, Kiangwe, Mkunumbi, Bargoni, Miliminani, Ishakani, among others .

_Ends_

By Patrick Ochieng

For more information contact:

Lamu County Government Communications Office at info@lamu.go.ke

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development Hon. David Osiany has today held a consultative meeting with Lamu County Commisioner Mr. Irungu Macharia and Lamu County Trade and Industrialization CECM Hon. Josphat Musembi to discuss the government’s agenda towards promoting SMEs.

The CAS who also paid a courtesy call on the Lamu County Secretary Mr. John Mburu reiterated the government’s commitment towards promoting and supporting Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which are responsible for large contributions to value added products, innovation and employment.

He later visited the Hindi Industrial Development Centre which focuses on woodwork.

Ends-

The Lamu County Steering Group (CSG) Committee adopted the county’s Drought Rapid Assessment report and sectoral response plan today.

The study tracks the course of the drought in Lamu County in an attempt to mitigate its effects on local farmers and pastoralists.

According to the report, the drought has exposed underage children to child labor, early or forced marriages, truancy (where children flee their homes), starvation and lack of food, rampant poaching, increasing human-wildlife conflict, overflow of cattle from neighboring counties, and so on.

In locations where there is a severe water shortage, the report recommends expanding water trucking services, providing fuel for bore holes, and constructing a desalination plant.

Drought mitigation efforts sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Lamu County will benefit 750 agro pastoral households.

Deputy Governor Abdulhakim Aboud told the CSG meeting in Mokowe that the county administration has already begun providing relief food to vulnerable families in need, and that the exercise will be expanded to the remaining wards across the county.

Irungu Macharia, the county commissioner, underlined the importance for increased efforts to help small-scale farmers and pastoralists who are suffering from the drought.

Meanwhile, the County Government-led relief food drive is continuing underway, as is the Lamu Water and Sewerage Company’s emergency water trucking program, which has been distributing water to drought-stricken towns.

Lamu County Secretary John Mburu, the CEC Trade and Tourism Josephat Musembi, and stakeholders from Lamu County Government, Kenya Red Cross, and the National Drought Management Authority were among those in attendance.

_Ends_

By: Samwel Mkare

For more information contact:

Lamu County Government Communications Office at info@lamu.go.ke

• 

• 

• 

• 

County officials led by Chief of Staff Mohamed Bute today distributed relief food in Mapenya area Mkunumbi ward .

Over 800 households today received food stuff under the program aimed at cushioning residents against the effects of ongoing drought .

Lack of rain has exacerbated drought conditions, resulting in poor to no harvests for Lamu’s small-holder farmers and water and vegetation scarcity for the livestock herding communities.

Marsabit, Mandera, Garissa, Wajir, Kilifi, Tana River, Lamu, Samburu, Kitui, Isiolo, and Laikipia are among the twelve (12) counties on high alert, according to the National Drought Management Authority’s (NDMA) drought report for July 2021.

-Ends-

For more information contact

Lamu County Communications Office at: info@lamu.go.ke

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•