Mombasa County announces free services at all its health facilities throughout October, in honour of the late Raila Odinga for Mwezi wa Baba. Details inside.
For many families in Mombasa, a hospital visit is not just a medical decision. It is a financial one. This October, the county says that worry will be lifted, at least for a month.
The County Government of Mombasa has announced that services will be free across all its health facilities throughout October, which ODM-aligned leaders are marking as Mwezi wa Baba, a month to remember the late Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga, the party's Founding Leader.
Honouring Baba through service
In the announcement, [name and title] said the month is a time to recommit to the ideals Raila stood for: dignity, equality, social justice and a government that puts ordinary people first.
"There can be no more fitting tribute to Baba than translating the values he championed into service that touches the lives of our people directly," the statement reads.
It ends with a line that sums up the county's message: "Baba believed in people. We honour him by serving them."
What residents will be asking
The announcement is welcome news, but it leaves practical questions.
Which services are covered, and does "free" include medicines, lab tests and admission? Does it apply to every county facility from the first day of the month? Residents will also want to know how the facilities will cope if more people come through the doors.
This article is based on a statement from the County Government of Mombasa.