Kenya: Lwala Healthcare Project
Lwala Community Hospital Report First Quarter, 2014
July 31, 2014
Katherine Falk and Jonathan White
Summary of Activities
- Funded maternal and child health costs including:
- Personnel costs for Nurses Rose Gayo and Geoffrey Orangi and Nurse Aid Rosemary Akello
- 58% of medicine costs
- Funded ambulance repairs and maintenance
- Funded fuel for ambulance to provide emergency transportation
- Funded obstetric emergency referrals

Results &
ACCOMPLISHMENTS

HIV/AIDS
Care & Counseling
10 support groups formed (up to 250 members now), ARV training for 5 staff, and an increase in defaulter tracing activities

New Life
Precious Babies
Average monthly deliveries at the Lwala Community Hospital was 38 in Q1.

Improved patient care and clinical operations
Increasing patient numbers
Average total monthly patient numbers increased by 22% (3,379 in Q1 from 2,752 the previous quarter). This is the highest monthly average to date.

Improved access and facility infrastructure
Supplies procured and plans finalized
New wireless internet connectivity was established in January. Staff members now enjoy the benefits of improved communication mechanisms.
Final revisions were made for hospital expansion designs – Phase II (connecting wing) and Phase III (ward) and staff housing. Tendering and bidding process is expected to begin in April, and construction is expected to start in June. The Youth Friendly Corner site was identified; negotiations are under way to secure the site. Two new microscopes for the lab were purchased. New computers were procured in preparation for electronic medical record (EMR) implementation.

Education programs
Expand and improve quality
- Implementation started on Youth Peer Provider (YPP) year 2 activities. Key activities include continuation of YPP-led school clubs, peer-to-peer sexual and reproductive health education, parent and community sensitization, and condom distribution to youth.
- 360 schoolgirls received uniforms made by New Visions women. 461 parents attended uniform distribution ceremonies.
- The girls mentoring program has continued weekly meetings with in-school girls and out-of-school girls (36 in-school girls and 57 out-of-school girls).
- 50 in-school YPPs continue to participate and help facilitate monthly school clubs. HIV information was added to club topics. However, not all clubs are utilizing the curriculum or meeting regularly. Quality improvement and follow-up needed.
- 10 new students were selected for secondary school sponsorship through partnerships with Kenya Education Fund (KEF) and Education for All Children (EFAC).

Income generating activities
Build capacity of community members
- 2 new school gardens were implemented (bringing the total to 5) as part of a research study project to measure the impact of school gardens on student nutrition and cognitive function.
- The New Vision Women’s Sewing Cooperative manufactured school uniforms in 2013, and all uniforms were distributed in Q1 of 2014.
- The New Vision women worked on enhanced pad kits for local schoolgirls. The kits include a set of 5 reusable sanitary pads, several pairs of underwear, soap, and sexual/reproductive health information. All materials are procured; distribution is planned for Q2.
- The New Vision Sewing Cooperative, the Furaha Soap Making Cooperative, and various youth groups continue to meet monthly and strategize to improve sales and product offerings. Currently there are 6 active youth groups.
- Lwala Community Alliance’s partnership with KIVA on micro-lending to members has continued to grow in the community. 28 community members are currently receiving micro-loans through KIVA. The defaulting rate decreased from 30% to 0% by the end of Q1. The repayment rate is currently 94%.
- The New Vision women manufactured backpack prototypes as part of a new initiative with BD.

Background
& Objectives
Background
Lwala is a village of approximately 1,500 people near Lake Victoria in western Kenya. Within an hour’s walk, approximately 3,000 additional people live in nearby villages accessible by dirt roads. Poor physical infrastructure, including impassable roads during the rainy season, lack of electricity and lack of reliable drinking water, have helped to create a critical healthcare challenge in Lwala. The mission of the Lwala Community Hospital is to meet the holistic health needs of all members of the Lwala community.
Objectives
- Improve patient care and clinical operations
- Improve access and facility infrastructure
- Expand and improve quality of education programs
- Professionalize the organization through better policies and practices
- Properly procure and account for physical, financial, and human resources
- Increase impact of health outreach programs
- Build capacity of community members in income generating activities
- Improve programs through better communication and monitoring and evaluation

More
Photos
Click to enlarge











More Reports on: Lwala Healthcare Project Archive
Country Page: Kenya
Initiative Page: Lwala Healthcare Project