Stronger health through Irish & Kenyan partnership

Thank you so much for your support of this project strengthening health through Irish and Kenyan partnership.

The health of the communities we are working with continues to be impacted by COVID-19, while many parts of the world are putting the pandemic behind them, it is far from over in Kenya.  Our emergency response continues and we are supporting the community with soap, water, information on preventing transmission and on the vaccination rollout. Right now 27.9% of adults in Kericho County are fully vaccinated and we are supporting the logistics involved e.g. supplying fridges, vaccine cooler boxes, PPE, transport, in getting the vaccine to the people.  Everyday health facilities are looking for more supplies of masks, gloves, gowns, hand-sanitiser to enable them to stay open and safely deliver health services to the community.   

In December Brighter Communities Worldwide built a vaccine centre in Londiani Sub-County Hospital to administer the COVID-19 vaccine, and has supported up to 35 outreach clinics a month to bring the vaccine to remote communities.  Vaccine supplies can be stored at the vaccine centre and cooler boxes are provided for health care workers to transport the vaccines to the outreach clinics.

Earlier this year, Community Health Volunteers undertook training in looking after the households they are assigned to.  Part of their training includes Remote Emergency Care (REC) course which focuses on immediate and urgent care in remote settings. The Community Health Volunteers learn first response skills as well as stabilisation and transfer of patients to a health facility. Specific focus is included on how to safely carry and transport a pregnant woman especially if she is already in labour. Kericho county is a largely rural area with many parts inaccessible by road and if a mum is in difficulty then she has to be carried to a road where a vehicle can transport her to hospital. During this year, the target is to train 160 volunteers in Remote Emergency Care.

Your support makes all the difference in safeguarding the lives of the health workers and community we work with.  Thank you! Please feel welcome to share this report with your circle of friends and family - every single donation makes a difference.