INFOSPOT 24th SEPTEMBER 2015 Issue No. 26

THE MEDICAL CAMP: A TIMELY BLESSING

The locals were excited to receive the free healthcare services. Some even described the experience as the best thing that happened to them since “Maziwa ya nyayo” (The free milk project initiated by former President Moi, also known as Nyayo’s Milk). The main illnesses treated were Ma-laria, Typhoid, dental ailments and sexual transmitted diseases.

At the end of the day, we were glad to record a total number of 251 pa-tients having been treated. That news made all the fatigue and thirst experienced throughout the exercise worthwhile. The Tunza mobilizer, Anne Waceke, recorded a total of 94 family planning procedures that were performed on the women and instantly declared it a success.

The British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK) on the 18th Septem-ber to the 20th September carried out their annual medical camps in the counties of Meru, Samburu and Laikipia. BATUK is a permanent training support unit based in Nanyuki. The army carries out a six-week medi-cal training in the form of Medical camps in areas close to their training grounds and stipulated by the Ministry of Health.

OUR JOURNEY BEGAN IN MERUThis year, the medical camp in Meru was situated in the small town of Mitunguu, which is approximately 30Kms from Meru town and was set to run throughout the weekend of 18th to 20th September 2015. Led by their Troop Commander Mike Oliver, the soldiers set up camp in Mitun-guu Dispensary on Friday, 18th September. “The troops dispersed in this area mainly consist of 26 British Army personnel who have joined the British Medical Corp. We also have additional support from two Kenya Defence Forces Medical Personnel and four Administration Police to as-sist with security,” said Commander Oliver.

The gates to Mitunguu Dispensary were opened at exactly 9am and a long line of eager residents greeted the team. The majority of patients included the elderly, mothers with their infants and middle-aged women. The medical camp was divided into two sections: one area would cater for medical consul-tation services by the Army while the other area was a Tunza mobilization unit that focused on promoting Family Planning and Cervical Cancer screening. Also providing supplementary support in Maternal and Child Healthcare was the Beyond Zero mobile clinic donated by Kenyan First Lady Her Excellency Margaret Kenyatta.

dispensary arrived just in time to save the day as PS Kenya staff stepped in to offer translation where we could.The highlight of the day was the visit by the British Army Brigadier Eastman. Eastman toured the various stations interacting with the both the soldiers and the local folk who responded warmly to his reception. He also handed over a mosquito net to a mother and her infant. Dur-ing this camp, mothers with children under 5 years would receive a treated mosquito net as protection and prevention from Malaria.

The British Army Brigadier Eastman presents a mosquito net to a Mitunguu resident

A Red Cross Official assits in translating for the Mitunguu

resident at the medical camp Registration desk.

P&O UPPER EASTERN Co-ordinator, Paul Sitati (Left) engages with

The British Army Troop Commander Mike Oliver (centre)

The camp was ready to kick off but the colossal challenge that the well-trained soldiers were experiencing was the language barrier. Residents only spoke in their ethnic dialect-Meru and only two translators provided by the Red Cross Foundation could communicate with the increasing number of patients. Help was needed and needed fast. Fortunately, medical personnel from Mitunguu

INFOSPOT11th September 2015

NEXT STOP…ISIOLOOur next stop the following day was Gambela Primary School in the out-skirts of Isiolo town. The warm welcome we received from the British Army troop and the curious residents helped ease the effects of the scorching sun. The medical camp in Gambela was set to run for two days, 19th to 20th September.

The Troop Commander Emily Stone gave us a warm welcome and after en-suring that our car was in a well-parked spot, she gave us a quick orienta-tion of the compound. Paul Sitati, our Regional Programs Coordinator then proceeded to assist in interpretation since the locals mainly spoke Swahili and there was only one translator provided by Red Cross.

Meanwhile I interacted with the locals who were waiting to be treated or had already been treated. They expressed their deep appreciation to all the stakeholders involved in making this medical camp a reality because ac-cess to medical assistance is close to impossible with the nearest hospital being Garissa General Hospital which is 15kms away.

MEET MOHAMMED MWENDAMohammed Mwenda (42) has called Gambela his home for the past 20 years. As a farmer, he relies on the produce to educate his 6 children and put food on the table. It hasn’t rained for months now, but the predicted rains in October give him hope that perhaps he might just have enough to go by this year. Mohammed has already began preparing his farm as like other farmers in Isiolo despite the seemingly coarse landscape they are relying on their hope to get them through. The water in the village borehole is barely enough so they have to take turns to irrigate their land in preparation of the rainy season. The problem is, sometimes your turn may fall at night and you have to brace yourself to stay out in the cold to ensure they fully irrigate their land. As a result, majority of the residents have been diagnosed with pneumonia on numerous occasions. “I only came here today because of this constant aching pain in my chest,” Mohamed says. “The pain is making it difficult for me to work on my farm because I get so weak. I also do not have square meals and often go for days without a proper meal. Sometimes a cup of black tea is all I take in a day,”he adds.

Soon his name is called and he motions towards the cheerful soldier who directs into the consultation room. I move on to discuss with other pa-tients waiting to be seen when I note that Mohammed is heading out of the school.“Nimepewa dawa, sasa nitapona, nifanye kazi,” (I have been given medi-cine, now I will get well and go back to work) he tells me.

The experience at the medical camp opened my eyes to how much we take life for granted and how a simple medical camp with minimal re-sources was able to put the smiles on the faces of the people who matter most.The residents of Mitunguu and Gambela can only hope that such medical camps happen more often before a lasting solution is devised.

As Paul and I drove back the bumpy road of Gambela and into the hori-zon, I could only hope that much more good is in store for these Kenyan citizens.

BY IRENE WAMBUI ODHIAMBOCorporate Communications Intern

Mohammed Mwenda (far right) and his peers at Gambela Medical camp as they await to be called in for treatment.

LIFE IN THE EYES OF MOHAMMED

A man and his son are brought to the Gambela Medical Camp on a motorbike.