Kenya Update 5 - Miwani area day 2
Our team met this morning with Grace, the Medical Officer (MO) in charge of our Miwani region, from the slope of the mountains to the railroad tracks, and from the bridge outside Kisumu then east to Miwani. Also Charles, a Community Health Worker (CHW), who may someday wish to work for NIHS. Discussion regarding our role and meeting regulations. She was encouraged by our incinerator, and services currently. She hopes we will ramp up quickly to provide these services (per the MDG’s): HIV/AIDS ARV’s, testing, follow-up and counseling; maternal care, TB, malaria, dehydration/diarrhea.
She can help set up training of CHW’s. Most are basic trained in 5 days, but in some regions they do more such as BP recording for Hypertension (HTN) screening, and fasting glucose. She does not think in our region these are problems – Diabetes and HTN. She thinks we need to train roughly 30 or more CHW’s. Additionally we will need a CO/MO position, 3-4 nurses total and a few more exam rooms. Inspections once we are ready to advance to a higher level of care. She feels we are a very important center for care to people from the bridge to the town of Miwani. Overall an encouraging meeting about our future role.
Headed then w Jeff, Anneliese, Charles and Grace to Miwani dispensary. Met George the MO. Photos taken and buildings explored. They run an HIV/AIDS clinic w counseling, ARV’s, staff workers, counseling. Roughly 36 HIV/AIDS patients they follow w CHW’s. Also a dispensary with meds, lab and such. One exam room. Very small somewhat shabby looking place – but serving the population. Roughly 8 patients/day.
Then to Chebirir Primary School where the headmaster who heard we were coming ran 6km to meet us. Students in green shorts. Some new buildings. Mostly volunteer faculty, and 75 students grades 1-7. We met several faculty. No electricity in the area at all, the nearest electricity is about 4km away. Wondered about hydro-electric power as they have water in a cistern which could be dropped to a lower cistern and generate electricity to charge cell phones, and have some lights. Or perhaps solar power. This would be a money maker for them and a huge time savings as they otherwise come to NI and pay 10 shillings to charge their cell phones every third day or so.
Termites are a problem as they eat text books, buildings and attendance/visitor logs and such. NIHS provides vaccines and healthcare to these kids. Vaccine program by coming by piki-piki once per every 2-4 weeks. We met in the headmaster’s office. Also Joyce, a teacher support person/widow took us to her home. Cow dung and mud floor. Using the bushes for bodily functions (no latrine) – roughly 60 meters away.
Back to NI where Momma Mylka had walked her to greet us and me, since she heard we had come to visit her, but she was away at a funeral.
Long nap (finally) and outside with my computer to watch a sunset while I got some work done, sipping an iced latte, and including the writing of this.