Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has handed over Karuri Medically Assisted Therapy (MAT), a clinic for drug addict rehabilitation, to Kiambu County Government and Kenya Prison Services after five years.
The clinic began enrolling people who use drugs (PWUDs) in September 2019, providing access to a medical substitute for opioids like heroine, reducing related health risks and deaths, and improving the lives of people who use drugs.
Since its inception, the clinic has helped 1,619 people, with 556 currently receiving care.
The handover was made possible by training healthcare workers and the County Department of Health Services and Kenya Prisons Services commitment to providing services to drug users.
“We have Healthcare Workers who now have knowledge on patient care and the management of the clinic,” said Dr. Elius Maina, County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health.
The clinics are located closer to patients’ homes, enhancing adherence to treatment. The harm reduction approach aims to reduce the negative health, social, legal, and financial consequences of drug addiction.
The clinics also provide two weeks of dosage for patients who cannot make it to the facilities daily.
The NDMA has provided 81 water tanks to schools, enabling them to practice farming and provide food for learners. Additionally, 69 schools have planted 5,000 fruit trees to address climate change issues.
The NDMA technical committee chairman, Koome Kiragu, revealed that a fruit tree-growing initiative in dry parts of Laikipia has been successful, with a survival rate of over 97 per cent.
Segera ward Member of County Assembly Salim Edum urged residents to embrace donor-funded projects aimed at uplifting their lives.
Nakuru County, in partnership with Daraja 360 and the Afro-Hoops Premier League, is set to hold a Basketball Tournament on August 10th and 11th.
The tournament aims to promote sports, healthy living, youth development, community engagement, and economic impact through skill improvement.
The County Chief Officer for Youth, Sports, and Talents, Alex Maina, emphasised the importance of sports in driving social change, fostering economic growth, and providing meaningful opportunities for youth.
She also highlighted the role of popular local players as role models and the potential for hosting tournaments to attract visitors, boost local tourism, and attract more investments and development opportunities.
The Chairperson of the Public Procurement and Regulatory Authority (PPRA), Jimmy Kahindi, has urged county governments and other procurement entities to collaborate to address challenges in the procurement process.
The initiative follows PPRA’s observation of low compliance rates across various procurement entities nationwide.
Kahindi noted that many national and county government staff members were unfamiliar with the PPRA digital system, which is crucial for uploading details about contract advertisements and awards.
He urged the public to report cases of contractors failing to deliver on awarded contracts directly to PPRA, rather than to other bodies such as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Kilifi County Governor Gideon Mung’aro welcomed PPRA’s support, noting that it would aid his administration in monitoring awarded contracts and ensuring accountability from contractors.
Gender Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa has affirmed the government’s commitment to forming a National Kiswahili Council to promote and develop the language.
She spoke during World Kiswahili Day in Mombasa, under the theme “Kiswahili: education and culture of peace.”
A draft bill is at the Office of the Attorney General before it is tabled in the National Assembly to be enacted into law.
CS Jumwa urged the Head of State to lobby legislators to pass the bill that would facilitate the Council’s formation before the end of the year.
She also reiterated the need to designate a day for the speaking of Kiswahili in the country, where people would be transacting business using the lingua franca.
Professionals were praised for the development of Kiswahili, with Kiswahili being taught from the nursery level in Kenya and Tanzania.
The CS urged Disc Jockeys (DJs) not to play beats of the National and EAC Anthems to allow citizens to sing them as a manifestation of patriotism.
“It shouldn’t be just music and beats. We should recite the words that unite the country and convey the message of peace and love in our nation,” said CS Jumwa.
The Principal Secretary of the State Department for Culture, the Arts and Heritage Ummi Bashir called on the use of technology in the promotion of Kiswahili through innovation.
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