By Greg Starbird | Chief Operating Officer
Here is a story written by Caroline Nganga about a CFW nurse in Kenya:
What comes after retirement? This is a question many people nearing their retirement years grapple with as the years draw nearer. However, for one retired Karurumo Rural Health Centre nurse, Marietta Wanja, starting a clinic of her own was a dream she had wanted to accomplish even after retirement. Marietta, a mother of 5 and with a last born who is currently sitting for his national Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exams, has had over 30 years in the profession and is now living her dream by managing Karurumo CFW clinic in Karurumo Town, Embu East District.
Marietta had this to say on how she started the clinic: “I have always loved nursing because I love serving people and just giving them assistance when they need it. So after retirement, I wanted to continue with the same but now under my own clinic. I then sent an application to be a partner for a franchised clinic after I was advised by a friend and when it went through, I looked for a location, got it and did some renovations then opened the clinic.”
Marietta’s CFW clinic is normally opened everyday from 9 am – 6 pm and is located in a town where the main source of income is food crop and horticultural farming. Her clinic, which mostly provides curative and preventative Care, health promotion, outreach programs and rapid diagnostic services, is among 6 healthcare providers in the town. As for staying ahead of competition, Marietta says, “My plan is to always assure that I give quality services to my patients all the time. That is my best weapon to dealing with the competition. And also my outreach programs have helped because they have given me and my clinic recognition in the community.”
Marietta normally goes for monthly outreach programs to schools within the area to give health talks on issues like prevention of malaria and waterborne diseases. During these outreaches, Marietta addresses mothers and children alike and usually sells an average of 30 mosquito nets on these occasions.
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