Emurua Dikirr: Under the blazing afternoon sun at Emurua Dikirr, the sounds of construction machines fill the air, a familiar hum of hope for the thousands of mothers and children who call this remote part of Narok County home. Where once expectant mothers faced daunting journeys to far-off hospitals, a new chapter in healthcare is steadily rising from the ground, the new Children’s Unit, Pediatric and Outpatient facility at Emurua Dikirr Level 4 Hospital.
According to Kenya News Agency, this ambitious project, spearheaded by Narok county government, promises to transform maternal and child healthcare in the region, offering services that until now have been out of easy reach for many rural families. “For far too long, our mothers and young ones in places like Emurua Dikirr have had to endure long, difficult trips to the Narok County Referral Hospital for specialized care,” said Governor Ntutu during a site visit to inspect the ongoing works.
“This facility is not just about new buildings; it’s about bringing quality, accessible healthcare closer to our people, reducing risks for mothers and newborns, and giving our children a healthier start to life,” he said. Once completed, the new facility will significantly ease the pressure on the main Narok County Referral Hospital, which is located several hours’ drive away.
Many residents of Emurua Dikirr and surrounding wards have historically faced high transport costs, long waiting times, and critical delays in receiving pediatric and maternal care. The local hospital expansion will now provide specialized outpatient services, a dedicated pediatric wing, and maternity services tailored to the needs of the community.
For women like Nancy Koskei, a mother of three from Emurua Dikirr, the new facility could be life-changing. “We have lost many mothers and babies because of the long distances to hospital care. Having a children’s and maternity unit right here gives us hope. It will save lives,” she said. Governor Ntutu emphasized that maternal and child health is a cornerstone of his administration’s agenda to improve quality of life, especially in rural areas where access to healthcare remains a significant challenge.
“This is a transformative initiative for our people,” he noted. “We are proud to see real progress here, progress that means our mothers will give birth in safer, more dignified conditions and our children will have immediate access to the care they deserve,” he noted. Dikirr residents welcomed the project with open arms, expressing optimism that the new facilities would mark an end to years of health service inequalities that have long disadvantaged the remote regions of Narok County.
As the walls of the new units steadily rise, they carry with them more than just bricks and mortar; they carry the hopes of a healthier future for generations to come from this region and its surrounding environment.