Stakeholders in the health industry have urged the government to strengthen partnerships with organisations in this sector in a bid to enhance access to healthcare services for the rural population.
Speaking during a medical camp held at Ewaso Ngiro, the head of health services in Narok South, Reremoi Kipsang, observed that conducting medical camps often will help more people to identify their health conditions early enough, thus getting timely medical attention.
“When we push to get to the rural communities through the medical camps, more people can be reached and helped to identify their health challenges in time for appropriate intervention,” said Kipsang.
He noted that the communities living in the rural areas are faced with a myriad of challenges, such as inaccessibility of health facilities and lack of medical equipment; thus, the need to keep sensitising them so that they do not miss out on such great opportunities.
“There is a need for continuous sensitisation so that those in need of medical services in the rural areas get to know of alternative places where their issues can be handled so that they do not drop off along the way, more especially those with chronic illnesses,” advised Kipsang.
In this medical camp that was being conducted by M-Pesa foundation in partnership with Zuri health, Lions Sight first eye hospital and Narok County Referral Hospital (NCRH), over 22,000 patients were attended to and received medical services, including free cervical cancer screening, family planning services, fistula, diabetes, hypertension, mental health services, and eye checkups, among other conditions.
According to the cataract surgeons working with the Lions Sight first eye hospital, the medics were not going to stop following up on patients with eye infections at this camp but they (patients) will be issued with clinic dates that they have to adhere to so that they get better medical attention for their well-being.
Among the patients attended to was Caroline Chiruku, who was thankful for the effort of the organisers to reach out to them, providing them with first-class services and is hopeful that the team will make another visit to reach out to more people.
By Emily Kadzo
