There's a royal in town, here's what she's up to

Esther Muthoni Karaya, Owner of ZamZam Medical Services with Queen Maxima and a guest. [Courtesy, PharmAcess]

Her Royal Majesty noted that this was particularly critical in the country's environment especially where private SMEs like ZamZam Medical Services are a key component of the healthcare system.

"Digital loans such as MCF loans have enabled female health entrepreneurs to expand their clinics and drive access to quality care to their local community," noted Queen Maxima, a fact that Muthoni embraced.

"The collaborative effort between MCF and ZamZam Medical Services encapsulates the essence of how digital loans, entrepreneurship and quality standards can be leveraged to enhance healthcare," said the Director.

Muthoni narrated to an attentive Queen Maxima how she started the health facility that is located at the foot of the seven Ngong Hills, 22 kilometres southwest of Nairobi 30 years ago in a single room. At the time, she said, she was a nurse and a midwife. "My late husband, saw an opportunity to establish the first private health facility in Ngong and convinced me to grasp the opportunity, and today ZamZam Medical Services offers a variety of healthcare services such as maternal health and family planning, laboratory services, physiotherapy, and dental care, serving around 13,000 low-income patients, annually," Muthoni told the Queen.

Kennedy Okong'o, Director East Africa Medical Credit Fund speaking to Queen Maxima. [Courtesy]

Speaking on how access to MCF's funding has enabled her healthcare business to transcend financial barriers, Muthoni explained that the MCF understands and addresses the needs of its clients. "From new equipment to improving working capital, through MCF Cash Advance, ZimZam and other private health SMEs can provide better quality services to their patients," said Muthoni.

During the event, the Queen got to interact with Farida Rimano, Zipora Akinyi, and Lizzy Muthoni, among others, whose lives have been touched through MCF as patients at ZimZam Medical Health Centre.

Other guests present included Kennedy Okongo, EA Director, MCF, and Nicole Spieker, CEO, of PharmAccess among others.

As a special advocate, Queen Maxima's docket revolves around crisscrossing the globe promoting universal access to financial services and financial health. In 2010, she visited a clinic in Tanzania, that was one of the first to receive financial support from MCF.

MCF operates as a blended fund and works with a wide network of partners providing loans and technical assistance to health SMEs for business expansion and quality improvement.

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