Mobile Clinics for Villages in Marakwet, Kenya

Thank you, friends, for your support!

It isn’t difficult to measure how your contributions to this project make a tangible difference in the lives of people living in Marakwet, Kenya. Bringing life-saving health care services directly to people in these poor communities means healthier babies and children, mothers, fathers and families. Here are some great examples of the impact we have made in the last three months:

-          Sixty mobile clinics provided 1,641 vaccines. One in every 14 children in Kenya dies before the age of five. Rural children are twice as likely to die as those in urban areas. For children in these rural communities, a measles or polio vaccine can be a game changer. Immunization rates in Marakwet County are unacceptably low at less than 70%. This means that nearly one-third of children are at risk of serious illness because of where they live. And this is not acceptable. Through this initiative to support Mobile Clinics, HealthRight is working to even the odds for these children.

-          Over 600 children with diarrhea in Marakwet were identified and treated. The mobile clinics offer much more than just immunizations. They provide care for children sick with malaria or diarrhea. Diarrhea is a leading killer of children in the world globally and Kenya is no different. In 2013, nearly 15% of all child deaths were due to diarrhea in Kenya. But with HealthRight’s support, diarrhea is moving from deadly to nuisance.

-          Nearly 500 women received antenatal care in their village. Another important role of these HealthRight-supported Mobile Clinics is to monitor women during pregnancy for signs of complications – such as high blood pressure, bleeding or dizziness – signs that mother or baby may be in danger. Only 20% of women in Marakwet seek adequate antenatal care in facilities during pregnancy. The distances are too great to walk and there is no public transport. This results in too many deaths of newborns and mothers during delivery. Thanks to HealthRight, nearly 500 women and their babies are more likely to survive.

In total, this small Mobile Clinic project has reached 4,157 people in three months - all for the cost of $1,600 or about 39 cents per person. The work continues but funding is in short supply. Consider sharing this report and telling your friends and family about our progress. It can make all the difference in the world to us and the families we serve.

Thanks, again!