Makueni County links tech systems with KEMSA to ensure health supplies efficiency.
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Makueni County on Thursday opened doors to its first cancer treatment and management clinic at the Makueni Referral Hospital, Wote.
The clinic is courtesy of the EMPOWER PROJECT, a partnership bringing together Roche, International Cancer Institute (ICI), Women for Cancer and African Cancer Foundation.
The County First Ladies Association (CFLA) was key in realizing the clinic by mobilizing all the partners and resources including the county government and Family Bank which donated five Chemotherapy chairs for the cancer unit.
Speaking at the event, governor Kivutha Kibwana said his administration will commit adequate budgetary provisions for essential supplies and human resources to ensure that the rising burden of cancer in Makueni is reversed.
He said that before establishment of the unit, patients used to travel to Kenyatta National Hospital and private facilities for diagnosis and treatment of cancer. This, he said, was expensive and time consuming. It was associated with delays, with patients sometimes missing treatment due to long queues as well as lack of follow up and poor outcomes
So far, the county government has seconded an Oncologist Pharmacist, 2 clinical officers, one nurse and one records officer for the coordination of the unit. Further, it is in the process of recruiting 2 oncology clinical officers, 2 oncology nurses, a radiologist and a pathologist to support the increasing traffic at the centre.
Makueni becomes the fifth county to unveil the EMPOWER CANCER CLINIC after Kisumu, Bungoma, Meru and Taita Taveta.
CFLA chairperson Maria Mbeneka (Laikipia) said the aim of pushing for establishment of the cancer clinics in counties is to enhance early cancer detection, treatment and management while reducing the prohibitive costs of treatment.
The event at the Mother and Child Hospital in Wote was graced by 15 county first ladies among them host Nazi Kivutha, Edna Lenku-Kajiado, Sarah Tunai-Narok, Saline Barchok-Bomet, Wato Kuti-Isiolo, Elizabeth Kinyanjui-Nakuru and Sheila Sang-Nandi.
Others were Priscilla Murungi- Meru, Priscilla Oparanya-Kakamega, Christine Mvurya-Kwale, Dorothy Nyong’o- Kisumu, Stellah Samboja- Taita Taveta and Ivy Bunei of Baringo County.
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Governor Kivutha Kibwana has signed a cancer management deal with two international cancer organizations which will position the county as a centre of excellence in cancer care.
The deal, signed Thursday at Wote, brings together the International Cancer Institute (ICI) and Roche Kenya Limited (a leading pharmaceuticals and tissue-based cancer diagnostics company) to partner with Makueni on cancer and other Non-Communicable Diseases management.
The deal seeks to undertake an integrated care model in the county for; breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, lymphomas, hypertension, diabetes, and mental health at the primary health care level through the referral system to the Makueni County Referral Hospital.
The two organizations will support Makueni CRH as a treatment center for oncology services and a comprehensive screening and outreach center for the same.
International Cancer Institute Chief Executive Officer Prof. Chite Asirwa, a cancer and blood specialist who signed the partnership for ICI said the organization will provide on a rotation basis mentors: 1 oncologist, 1 gynecologic oncologist, 1-2 surgical oncologists, 1 pathologist, 1 medical officer, 2-3 clinical officers, 2-3 nurse educators, 1 community liaison, and 6 community health promoters to support the Makueni treatment centre.
He said the partnership will emphasize on accessible and affordable cancer prevention, cure and improved quality management for those living with the condition, which he says has been elusive and the reason many Kenyans fly to India and other far off destinations for treatment.
Governor Kibwana said the deal will save many residents of Makueni the agony of having to sleep on the floors of Kenyatta National Hospital as they queue for cancer treatment or selling assets to fly out of the country in search of such services.
He said the deal for set up of cancer treatment centres in counties was brokered by the County First Ladies Association (CFLA) chaired by his spouse Nazi Kivutha who was present during the signing of the partnership agreement.
Data from the department of Health Services in Makueni show the county has a high prevalence of hypertension and diabetes, a growing burden of cervical, prostate and breast cancer as well as sickle cell disease and unchecked mental health issues.
The Makueni CRH registered 253 cases of the above illnesses combined between July 2015 and June 2019.
Makueni has yet again registered another first on its healthcare provision following signing of a multilateral agreement to combat non-communicable diseases in the county.
The county government in collaboration with Sandoz Pharmaceutical, Medtronic Inc and Management Sciences for Health, a non-profit corporation shall deliver an end-to-end non-communicable disease care model to achieve improved patient outcomes.
The 2-year partnership deal was arrived at on Friday by Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana, Cluster Head Norvatis Social Business Dr. Nathan Mulure, Medtronics Regional health head Africa, Chemutai Langat and Management Sciences for Health Country project director Ndinda Kusu at the governor’s office in Wote.
The care model will include; awareness and education on the chronic diseases; screening for the diseases in the community; capacity building and health system strengthening through training of community healthcare workers and volunteers; diagnosis through existing, identified health facilities and provision of quality and affordable medications.
Governor Kibwana welcomed the deal saying it was going to strengthen the County’s Community Health Strategy as well as revolutionize the Universal Health Care program.
Makueni CEC for Health Dr. Mulwa who witnessed the signing of the partnership disclosed that the County is the first to sign the deal. The model is expected to be rolled out in Nyeri and Kakamega counties.
The County Health Chief Officer, Dr. Patrick Musyoki said, “This partnership has come at the right time. NCDs are silent killers causing 55% of deaths in hospitals yet most of the African countries have not taken up the challenge.”
Makueni has yet again made enviable strides in its healthcare provision by venturing into Telemedicine.
Telemedicine is the remote delivery of healthcare services, such as health assessments or consultations over the telecommunications infrastructure.
The program, launched at Thange Africa Brotherhood Church, Thange ward, is a brainchild of the ABC church through the National Council of Churches of Kenya in partnership with the government of Makueni County.
The program, dubbed Comprehensive Community Healthcare Initiative (CCHI), was unveiled by ABC Archbishop in charge of East Africa Timothy Ndambuki and governor Kivutha Kibwana on Wednesday.
The program entails a mobile internet linked multi diagnosis kit based at Thange and doctors based at the Makueni County Referral Hospital, who are linked into the system through installed software on their side.
The system is both web and android based such that enlisted doctors will get alerts of booked cases from the remote health centre on their mobile phones as per their schedules of assigned duties.
Patients will walk into the Thange health facility, their diagnosis carried out by a resident nurse and the results relayed in real time to the doctors who will then analyze and prescribe the proper medication to be administered by the nurse at Thange.
For complicated cases, the system enlisted doctors will be able to seek further consultations from more qualified doctors across the globe on behalf of their patients.
Patients will also have a face-to-face consultation with the doctors, through teleconferencing, who will then direct the resident nurse(s) on what tests to carry out.
Governor Kibwana has directed the county health department to dedicate a unit for the telemedicine program on a 24-hour basis to make it work.
County Health Executive Andrew Mulwa has announced that all the county level 4 hospitals will be linked into the program so as to address a broad range of health services.
According to Archbishop Ndambuki, the program will be rolled out in the whole of Ukambani under the South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc (SEKEB) if it succeeds in Makueni.
The program is enabled by a digital communication network and applications provider registered in Kenya under the name DIGLOSO run by a US based Kenyan named John Musau.
Makueni has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the company for extensive roll out of the program.
Makueni’s efforts to combat the HIV epidemic has received a shot in the arm following a partnership agreement with Christian Health Association of Kenya (CHAK) to scale up these efforts.
The agreement, signed on Monday by governor Kivutha Kibwana and CHAK’s Secretary General Samuel Mwenda seeks to facilitate the implementation of comprehensive HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment Services in pre-selected faith based facilities within Makueni County
The selected facilities include Kikoko Mission Hospital, Makueni Catholic Dispensary, PCEA Kasasule Health Centre, Kambu Catholic Dispensary and Mbitini Catholic dispensary.
As part of the partnership, CHAK will primarily:
Provide financial support on a monthly basis for human resources support in the facilities captured, subject to funding availability from CDC to the Makueni County Health Management Team as discussed and agreed upon by both parties.
Offer clinical, & Health systems strengthening mentorship at the pre-determined Health facilities.
Participate in joint support supervision with the County Health Management Teams.
Timely submission of MoH monthly reports as per the pre-existing framework to the Makueni County Health Department
Train the personnel in the pre-determined health facilities on various aspects of HIV & T.B service delivery and reporting.
Makueni on the other hand will among others:
Offer staff management including staff appraisal and taking disciplinary measures where necessary.
Provide data capturing and reporting tools for the HIV and TB care and treatment and to Conduct Data Quality Audits of the health facilities captured.
Facilitate consistency in supply of pharmaceutical and laboratory commodities that are vital to the day to day implementation and overall success of the HIV and TB care and treatment interventions as envisioned in the agreement.
Over 50 women living with fistula related complications in Makueni County are expected to receive free surgeries and medical advice in a weeklong free Fistula Camp at the Makueni County Referral Hospital.
The execrise which began last week Friday 29th and runs to April 6th was officially flagged off on Monday by Deputy Governor Adelina Mwau, Safaricom Foundation’s Assistant Programmes Analyst Antony Otieno and Council Member, Flying Doctors Society of Africa Illa Devani.
The activity, courtesy of a partnership between the County Government, Safaricom Foundation and Flying Doctors’ Society of Africa aims at creating awareness about fistula and the importance of quality maternal health services.
Since Friday, at least 100 women have been screened and 23 admitted at the Mother and Child Hospital, Wote, for surgeries which commenced on Monday.
Accounts by some of the women admitted for surgery tell of a people who have been living in delibitating conditions with a near withdrawal from all social activities due to stigma.
The Mother and Child Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Doris Mbithi said victims of this condition suffer from depression, rejection and trauma and choose to suffer in silence as the cost for corrective surgery is prohibitive to many.
A normal corrective surgery costs at least Sh 65,000 and requires specialised medical procedures.
The World Health Organization has termed fistula as the single most dramatic aftermath of neglected childbirth estimating that more than 2 million women live with fistula worldwide.
It is estimated that there are 3,000 new fistula cases in Kenya each year, and only 7.5 percent of these are able to access medical care.
This means that every year, more than 2,700 women with new fistula cases do not receive the necessary medical attention.
Over 50 cleft lip and palate patients from Makueni are set to undergo free surgical and rehabilitative treatment at Makueni Level 5 Hospital courtesy of the county government, Smile Train Africa and BelaRisu Foundation.
Health Executive Dr Mulwa who officially opened the 3-day surgical camp said the program is one of the major steps towards implementation of the Makueni universal health cover that ensures accessibility of health services to all.
“Today we have a free camp for patients with cleft lip and palate. This program is in line with our universal health care which ensures that no one is left behind in accessing health services,” Mulwa said.
Smile Train Africa Program Director Jane Ngige noted that the camp is in accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding signed between them and the county government two years ago that is geared towards promotion of health through the surgical camps and capacity building of medical professionals.
She said: ” Two years ago, we signed an MoU with the County government and that is why we have today’s camp. The main objectives of the agreement is to help train medical professionals as well as help children with cleft lips and palates in Makueni.”
Health Chief Officer Dr Patrick Musyoki said plans are underway to devolve the surgical camps to Sub-County hospitals so that patients can access the services easily and have them run after every 3 months.