Let me begin by thanking Governor Cheboi and the people of Baringo for the warm welcome to your beautiful County.
When I last visited your County in September 2014, I promised to come back and today I have fulfilled that promise! I am extremely excited to be here to see the investment you have made towards improving healthcare services. You have upgraded and refurbished the healthcare infrastructure in this county – all for the good of the people of Baringo.
It is a joy to be re-united with our longtime friend Bonny Bishop from Friends of Africa International NGO. Thank you for making the connection with this worthwhile project.
Project CURE, as the largest provider of donated medical supplies and medical equipment to over 130 nations around the world, yours is most definitely a household name. I thank you for selecting Kenya as one of your destinations of hope.
It is very exciting that the container of medical supplies, which I flagged off when I was in Arizona early in March has finally arrived! This container is filled not just with medical supplies and equipment, but with the love and generosity of thousands of Arizonians. It is a demonstration of shared love between America and the people of Kenya.
I know that these medical equipment and supplies will impact many lives. That many mothers with complicated pregnancies will safely deliver their babies. That many medical emergencies will now be managed here at Chemolingot Hospital. People will no longer need to travel 110 kilometers to get quality health services.
Mr. Governor, I hope this gift will serve as an inspiration for your Government to continue investing in health systems and better healthcare for your citizens and ensure that essential medical products, vaccines, equipment and technologies of assured quality and safety is available within close proximity.
I also want to thank all those many organization and people who have given of themselves to help make a difference to our lives. What we have received here is the first of six containers due in Kenya over the next few months.
But I also want to remind ourselves that this container we are receiving today, is just a continuation of work that has been going on for years for the good of the people of Kenya.
It is a continuation of a journey I started in 2013 to support county governments in ensuring that no mother should die while giving birth, that no child should die from preventable causes, that quality health services will be accessible to all Kenyans through the delivery of mobile clinics to every county in Kenya. So far, through the generous donations of Kenyans we have delivered 43 clinics. We have achieved this huge task together as Kenyans and I am optimistic that soon, we shall cross the final bridge when we deliver the 47th and last Mobile Clinic.
Today, the delivery of this container also marks the official launch of a new initiative – ‘Adopt a Ward’ through which I will call on Kenyans and our partners old and new to join in refurbishing existing county community health facilities. Because providing good quality healthcare must be our collective responsibility.
So, Governor Ceboi and the people of Baringo County I look forward to continuing this relationship which we started three years ago and will look forward to visiting you once again.
Thank you.