January 2021: Kenya, Nairobi/Mathare: Slum Medical Outreach Program

PBF Slum Medical Outreach Program

The Afya Mtaani initiative is a medical outreach program targeting residents of the informal settlements of Mathare which is one of the largest slums in Nairobi.
This segment of the population are especially affected by the current Covid 19 pandemic. The fear to seek medical services in hospitals due to negative publicity of the Corona virus has put several people to stay away, ir even die from diseases that would otherwise be manageable.
Our mission is reaching out to needy individuals and families to help them meet their very basic needs including health and nutrition. Our target groups of people involve the elderly with lifestyle diseases as hypertension and diabetes and needy adolescent girls who cannot meet their hygiene requirements because of poverty.
So far we have been able to establish some families and individuals whom we have been supporting since our inception.
Among the group are about 16 elderly people suffering from mostly diabetes mellitus and hypertension. We visit these people twice a month and on demand. We do a routine blood pressure and glucose screening. We also occasionally try to assist them acquire their drug doses when it is very necessary.
We have formed a good rapport with our clients and more and more people are recognizing our impact. For example,  there is one elderly mother (picture attached below), about 68 years old in Mathare North who has had many problems with her failing kidneys. In addition to ensuring that she attends her regular clinic in a local dispensary,  we also assist her with frequent screenings of her blood pressure and blood glucose. We have also been able to ensure that she does not miss her medications. We are happy to report that her health is better since we met her. She is always in touch with us for any consultation. This is just but an example of several people our outreach program support in this particular slum where more than 400,000 people in a very small area without sanitation of pipe water.
This is a noble course that has brought hope to our clients. We would love to continue with our activities especially now.
Today, the world is faced with many challenges with the most recent pandemic racking havoc among dwellers of informal settlements globally with obvious reasons stated previously. It is even harder here in Kenya as doctors and nurses in the public sector have gone on an industrial strike. Healthcare in Kenya, especially in the slums have now been completely paralyzed. Our clients, most of whom, depend on the public sector for health care are now been been affected the most. Our services are now needed more than ever.
We would like to specifically thank you Dear Dr. Peter Bachman and Mr. Dan Amolo for the guidance and support you have given us endlessly.
Thank you for every support you continue giving us. We promise to work within our means to make positive impact among our people.
From Afya Mtaani team we wish you a merry Christmas and a prosperous and health new year. God bless you.
Kiadis Gisemba
AfyaMtaani Initiative.