Kenya: Lodwar District Hospital Support
Focusing on Pediatric Care: Q3 2016
October 31, 2016
Emma Kiriungi
Summary of Activities
Continuing its emphasis on pediatric support, RMF purchased comprehensive medical supplies for the Pediatric ward. Emergency drugs that are never supplied by KEMSA have continued to be supplied by RMF/MMI for the pediatric patients. Drugs including Floxapen, Zinnat, phenobarbital, fluconazole, Darrow’s solution, adrenaline, flucloxacillin, phenytoin, mannitol, Fortum, and Ventolin respirator solution were purchased. Before these drugs were provided by RMF/MMI, patients were asked to purchase them from local clinics, and many patients could not afford to do so. The constant supply of these essential drugs and many others have gone a long way in benefitting the pediatric patients and ensuring that the Pediatric ward continues to register low mortality numbers.
Departments that received new equipment include:
- Maternity Ward – ambu bags and glucometer strips, glucometer strips
- Pediatric Ward – an infant nasal aspirator, along with ambu bags, reservoir bags, and face masks
- Operating Theatre – two minor cesarean sets
- Occupational Therapy Ward – cervical collars, a hammer massager, an Energy King massager, and a powerful massager
- Physiotherapy Department – elastic shoulder supports and orthopedic casting tape: 3”, 4”, and 5”
Full Report
Results &
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Healing Environment
Meeting Needs
Patients continue to access quality health care in a clean, friendly environment conductive to healing. Real Medicine Foundation’s approach of being needs-oriented and working with flexibility has brought change to Lodwar County & Referral Hospital (formerly Lodwar District Hospital) as a whole. The hospital continues to remain clean and hygienic; nosocomial infections are kept as low as possible.
Serving More
In-house Care
Not only have the Pediatric ward and Male and Female wards benefited from the project, but the Operating Theatre has also been improved by RMF’s support. Patients with fractures coming to the hospital from Lodwar and neighboring communities can now be attended to by the surgeon without further referral, since all the equipment has been supplied by RMF.
Motivated Staff
Benefiting Local Community
Availability of supplies has also consistently motivated the hospital staff in serving the Turkana people/patients, making it much easier for them to do their work effectively. The community has benefited tremendously in the sense that drugs and non-pharmaceuticals are available. The locals no longer have to buy (or do without) costly drugs, syringes, gauze rolls, cotton wool, and emergency drugs, as these are supplied by RMF for the inpatient units at the hospital.
Emergency and Daily
Hospital Needs Provided
RMF continues to purchase non-pharmaceutical supplies. Non-pharmaceuticals purchased include:
- glucometer strips
- gauze rolls
- strapping adhesives
- granular gauges
- gloves
- surgical spirit
- examination gloves
- crepe bandages
- paraffin gauze
These non-pharmaceuticals are not only important in the day-to-day running of the hospital, but also in the case of emergencies with urgent needs, such as traffic accidents, and when the hospital is in a crisis because of many patients needing care at the same time, when large amounts of non-pharmaceuticals are required.
Services Provided
Medical and Preventive
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- Curative: treatment of illness, diagnosis (lab investigations, x-rays), management and follow-up review with a medical doctor and/or clinical officer
- Preventive: promotion of good health education, such as safe water, safe motherhood, HIV prevention, and school health programs
- Rehabilitative: occupational therapy and physiotherapy
- Eye clinic
- Dental services
Training Professionals
Investing in the Future
As part of our health systems strengthening and capacity building efforts in Turkana, Kenya, we sent RMF Kenya’s Project Coordinator, Emma Fredah Kiriungi, to an Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) Surge training session in Naivasha, Kenya.
RMF believes that by investing in passionate, in-country health professionals like Emma, we are investing not only in those individuals, but also in the present and future health of the country. Continued training and support of our team members is another way that RMF seeks to empower difference makers worldwide, living out our philosophy of “Friends Helping Friends Helping Friends.”
Background
& Objectives
Background
Lodwar District Hospital (DH) is the only functional government regional referral hospital for all of Turkana region, spanning a population of almost 1,000,000. This is where the vast majority of the Turkana and other populations of Northwestern Kenya as well as people from across the borders to Uganda and South Sudan seek help when they need more advanced care requiring medical equipment and specialized skills that cannot be provided at dispensaries, health centers, or private health clinics. Lodwar DH has been struggling for years with wards in need of major repair, and supplies and drugs that come in with great irregularity from the government health supplies department in Nairobi.
Objectives
- Rehabilitate the infrastructure at Lodwar District Hospital, beginning with the pediatric ward and proceeding to male and female wards.
- Rehabilitate equipment set at Lodwar District Hospital, beginning with the pediatric ward and proceeding to male and female wards, outpatient department, operating theatre and physiotherapy department.
- Provide regularity to supplies of basic medical devices, disposables, and pharmaceuticals, complementing the items from Kenya Medical Supplies (KEMSA).
- Provide equipment maintenance and spare parts management.
- Organize on-site clinical training, beginning with general equipment use and care, and pediatric emergency care.
- Provide outreach campaigns.
More
Photos
Click to enlarge
Numbers
Served
31,944 outpatients (8,910 being pediatric outpatients) were treated.
924 inpatients were treated.
Success
Stories
Akal Atabo
19 months old
Akal was admitted through the CCC (Comprehensive Care Clinic) department with complaints of fever, vomiting, severe wasting, and abdominal pain. This was the first time she was admitted with these symptoms. Akal was born in the hospital with no complications. She got all of her immunizations as per schedule. Akal is the youngest child in a family of four children.
Diagnosis
Acute G.E. and Pneumonia with Severe Acute Malnutrition
- Blood slide (for malaria), negative
- Malnutrition (SAM)
Treatment
- Gentamycin 40 mg od x 5/7
- Multivitamins
- X-Pen ½ ml, qid 5/7
- Amoxicillin 150 mg tds 3/7
- Paracetamol 5 ml qid 3/7
Management of Malnutrition
Therapeutic milks: F-75 for three days, then F-100 for six days.
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Akal progressed well and was discharged after fifteen days. The medications used to treat her until the day of her discharge were purchased by RMF. These medicines were provided to Akal free of charge, and enabled her quick recovery.
Ikone Samuel
55 months old
Ikone was admitted with burns. He was playing when he accidentally hit a cooking pot with hot water and it poured on him. Ikone was delivered in the hospital with no complications. He did not get all the immunizations as per schedule.
Diagnosis
- Second degree burns
Treatment
- Dressing the wound twice a day
- Daily cleaning of the wounds to remove dead skin and ointment
- Ibuprofen
- Antibiotic cream
Nutrition Management
Ikone was put on a high protein diet to aid in his quick recovery.
The drugs used to treat him until the day of his discharge were purchased by RMF. These drugs were provided to Ikone free of charge, and his recovery may not have been possible without this support from RMF/MMI.
John Esinyen
7 years old
John was admitted with complaints of difficulty breathing, headache, fever, distended stomach, and general body weakness. This was the first time he was admitted with these symptoms. John was born at home with no complications. He did not get all the immunizations as per schedule.
Diagnosis
- Ascites
Treatment
- Aldactone 100 mg
- Lasix 40 mg
- Frequent therapeutic paracentesis
Nutrition Management
Restricting dietary sodium (salt) intake to less than 2 grams per day. He was on medication and under close observation.
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