The County Government of Kisumu has partnered with Endless Mountain Mercy Mission International (EM3) to roll out a free countywide medical outreach targeting thousands of residents who have struggled to access healthcare due to cost, distance, and low health-seeking habits.
The programme, spearheaded by Deputy Governor Dr. Mathew Owili and the County Department of Medical Services, kicked off at Muhoroni Township Primary School, where hundreds of residents flocked for consultations, screenings, vaccinations, treatment, and referrals with volunteer medics from EM3 and the county government supporting the exercise.
Dr. Owili said the initiative targets to address gaps in the health sector, especially in areas where the county government has a shortfall of supplies and medical personnel.
He said although county governments are legally mandated to provide healthcare, limited sharable and own-source revenues make it difficult to fully meet the needs of the population.
Partnerships with organisations such as EM3, he said, were critical to help bridge critical gaps in service delivery.
He noted that many residents avoid hospitals because of the fear associated with sickness, pain, and death, and said that taking services closer to communities boosts early diagnosis and improves health-seeking behaviour.
Dr. Owili said the medical camps will be taken to every sub-county, focusing on areas with high disease burden and acute need.
He urged elected and nominated leaders to help mobilise residents, emphasising that the exercise was strictly about service delivery and should not be politicised.
The deputy governor lamented over delayed Social Health Authority (SHA) reimbursements, saying the issue was straining public hospitals and had pushed some private facilities to turn away SHA patients.
He clarified that counties were not opposed to SHA but urged the authority to streamline its reimbursement systems to ease pressure on facilities.
SHA registration, he added, will also be carried out during the medical camp, encouraging residents to register in numbers, noting that county hospitals continue to serve valid members.
Owili also announced a major two-day health outreach in Nyakach Sub-County scheduled for December 13–14.
The event, which will run concurrently with the EM3 programme, he said, will bring together several government agencies offering services ranging from cancer screening to legal clinics and civil registration, including marriage services for couples wishing to formalise their unions.
County Director of Medical Services Dr. Don Ogolla said the turnout at Muhoroni exceeded expectations, with more than 200 adults attended to.
He confirmed that more than 20 children received vaccinations they would otherwise have missed, several mothers accessed family planning services, women underwent cervical cancer screening, and many adults received treatment for common ailments or were referred for specialised care.
He added that one patient who had been unwell for months but remained at home was identified and directed for advanced treatment.
Dr. Sande noted that Muhoroni Sub-County was struggling with low vaccination coverage at about 74 per cent, compared to the county average of 82 per cent adding that the numbers recorded during the camp would significantly improve the area’s performance.
He stressed that health facilities can no longer wait for patients to seek care, adding that community outreaches were key to preventing illnesses from advancing.
Sustained medical camps, he maintained, were key in posting positive health indicators, pointing out Kisumu’s family planning uptake, which stands at 84 per cent—the highest in the country as one of the fruits of outreach programmes.
EM3 Director Scott Megan said the organisation was committed to empowering underserved communities by meeting real needs in real time.
He said sickness drains life and dignity from individuals, adding that EM3 will strengthen the partnership to ensure that more people are reached.
By Chris Mahandara
