Kenya

Project Goal:

To improve the delivery of primary Health Care Services within the Turkana Drought Region in Northern Kenya, its capital Lodwar and the people living in the remote villages of Turkana, Kenya.

Project Objectives:

• Provide Medicines and Medical supplies to meet the needs of the targeted population
• Increase Mobile/Outreach Clinics in the remote villages
• Provide Medical Services at Health Facility in Lodwar town:
• Supporting the physical/medical needs of the targeted population
• Home visiting
• Referrals of patients to tertiary care clinic/hospital, HIV and TB government clinics
• Teaching about and providing nutritious food

Summary of RMF/WCF-sponsored activities carried out during the reporting period under each project objective:

• A large shipment of medicine was ordered 3 times during the first quarter.
• The staff currently maintains the medicine inventory, using paper tally and computer.
• 39 clinic days were held in the town of Lodwar, with a total of 1,338 patients treated.
• 23 mobile clinics were conducted in the first quarter with a total of 3,805 patients treated.
• 15 home visits were conducted during the first quarter.
• 13 referrals were made during the first quarter.
• Continued public health education was done at the clinic Lodwar and during the mobile clinics.
• A large shipment of medicines was purchased three times from MEDS in Nairobi, Kenya.
 

Results and/or accomplishments achieved during this reporting period:

• Three shipments of medicines received from MEDS in Nairobi, Kenya in January, February and March.
• Staff maintains the medicine inventory, a process just started in 2010.
• 39 clinic days (Monday to Wednesday) were held at the clinic, with a total of 1,338 patients treated and 23 mobile clinic days were held with a total of 3,805 patients treated.
• 15 home visits were made during the first quarter.
• 13 referrals were made during the first quarter from the remote villages to tertiary level facilities for further management.
• Public health teaching performed at the beginning of every clinic day for the patients who arrive early and additional individualized teaching in the course of the patient’s treatment.

• An additional five villages are being served, bringing the target population of this project to now 55,300.
• A school health program was conducted in Chokchok Village primary school.
• Extra food and water was supplied to the villages affected by the famine.
• A ceiling board was placed in the Lodwar Clinic, part of the building upkeep.
• The incinerator is being built, which allows proper disposal of syringes and other equipment.

Morbidity Report

Patient Success Stories:

1) Mrs. Teresa Akai, aged 96 years, had severe broncho-pneumonia and rheumatoid arthritis. One evening the adult teacher from Nakabaran Village called our facility in Lodwar to save a sick patient in the remote village. After inquiring as to the state of the patient, we travelled to the village and found Mrs. Akai very ill. However, after initial medication administration, we decided to refer the patient to Lodwar Hospital for further management. After one week the patient was well and she was discharged home.

2) Grace Akai, aged 1½ years, had a debilitating illness two months after she was born. The mother of the baby had a long record of various treatments that her daughter had gone through, unsuccessfully. So, during her visit to our Lodwar Clinic we decided to take her to the chest and skin clinic in Lodwar Hospital to see the specialist. Fortunately, Grace was seen and after lab testing, the patient was diagnosed with tuberculosis and put on anti-tuberculosis medicines. Besides the treatment we also supplied the patient with nutritious food supplied by UNICEF. At this time, little Grace is doing well under treatment.

3) Mrs. Ekuam was happy when I went to Lodwar Hospital to see her with her child whom we referred to the hospital with severe malaria. Not just she herself but her son, too, was happy. Mrs. Ekuam had run into the Lodwar Clinic with a child who was convulsing. After initial treatment we referred the patient to Lodwar Hospital for further management.
In the hospital, her young son received good management and he was doing well with the treatment just the second day. After three days the patient was discharged home in a good state.

4) Ebei Etiir, aged 2½ years, had a perforated umbilical hernia that made part or his intestines push out through the abdominal wall. Parts of the intestine had decomposed and thus the fecal matter was oozing out. Our team found this patient in the course of our distribution of famine food in the Kerio zone 80 km east of Lodwar.

Fortunately, the Lodwar Hospital to which we referred the case was ready to take the case as an emergency. Little Ebei had an operation and it was successful. After one week he was discharged home in good condition.