Nairobi Governor to work with World Vision
Nairobi, June 12th - The Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has expressed his willingness to partner with World Vision Kenya and the regional office to address water and health challenges facing residents of informal settlements in the city.
He said public health facilities are dilapidated while there is lack of access to clean water in the slums. “I am looking forward to working with World Vision Kenya and World Vision East Africa Regional Office to improve the lives of people in slum areas in Nairobi. I know World Vision transforms lives, and I share the same passion to make people’s lives better,” he said.
About 60 percent of Nairobians reside in informal settlements and according to Kidero, “since independence 50 years ago no budget has ever been put towards informal settlements.” He was speaking to participants of a three day Global Urban Summit convened by World Vision.
Kidero pointed out maternal health as a key concern, citing high maternal mortality in informal settlements. The Kenya Demographic Health Survey puts maternal mortality in slum areas at 706 deaths per 100,000 live births, far higher than the national figure of 414 deaths per 100,000 live births. He said he would rehabilitate the run down Pumwani Maternity Hospital, the largest public maternity hospital in Kenya, so as to effectively serve women from informal settlements.
Other challenges include broken sewers, where children from slum areas told the meeting that they swim in broken sewers, facing the risk of contracting water borne diseases such as typhoid and bilharzia. “Open sewers pass right outside our doors. We do not have toilets, and so people defecate in plastic bags which they throw far away; there is total lack of proper sanitation,” 12 year old Vivilashan Atieno said meeting.
“We want to grow up in a clean environment free from diseases. We want to be given a chance so that we can grow into useful members of society,” she stated.
World Vision Kenya’s deputy national director, Pauline Okumu said a lack of proper governance had resulted in a disconnection between the government and informal urban population. “The governance of Kenya’s urban centres remains deeply deficient due to the complex and inadequate institutional policy and legislative framework at city level,” she noted.
The Global Urban Summit is the first for World Vision. It provides an opportunity for experts to share lessons learnt and discuss innovations in urban development including how to achieve safer cities for children. It brings together over 100 participants from across the globe, with representatives from UN agencies, as well as professional organisations, the private sector, civil society and national and county governments.