9th January, 2008
As the humanitarian crisis in Kenya enters its second week, activities focusing on those affected have largely shifted from treatment of injuries in hospitals and emergency relief to interventions to assist close to 300,000 people living in 42 camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) across the country.
Whilst care must be given to those living in camps the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) urges that people still living in the communities around the camps are not forgotten. These are the people and communities that have been caught up in violence and division. Services in these affected communities have broken down and basic health services are not available.
Mette Kjaer, Country Director of AMREF in Kenya says: “While there are over quarter of a million people living in the IDP camps, we must look beyond the camps and provide broader support that focuses on the surrounding communities. For example, we know from our work that there are one million people living in Kibera alone.
AMREF will work within existing Ministry of Health structures to support existing health services, and to ensure that those who presently cannot access care have the opportunity to do so. Women and children are in greatest need of help. In this way, we will be responding to the urgent health needs of people and strengthening the health system and making it responsive to the needs of the affected communities.”
AMREF is sending mobile health units into Kibera slum in Nairobi, focusing on the needs of women and children, which will later extend to Kawangware, Dagoretti and Baba Dogo. These units will provide testing and treatment for HIV and TB and maternal and child health services, including immunisation, health education and counselling. This is in line with the three-month plan of the Ministry of Health , which gives priority to public health, including preventive and promotive health services, with a focus on women and children.
“As chair of the Health NGOs Network, AMREF will play a coordinating role at the district level to avoid parallel activities, and to ensure that all health-related NGOs responding to the crisis operate within MoH structures,” said Mette Kjaer.
At the Jamhuri Park IDP camp, within the city of Nairobi, AMREF is working closely with the Ministry of Health and other partners to provide health care for 3-4,000 displaced people, most of whom are women and children. These people have lost their homes and belongings and have nowhere else to go.
AMREF’s role at the camp is to coordinate water and sanitation activities, which includes providing an adequate and safe water supply; ensuring that there are enough toilets and bathrooms and that these are kept clean; providing water near toilets and eating areas; ensuring the efficient disposal of waste, and providing health education.
While partners including AAR health services and St Johns Ambulance have set up clinics at the camp, and the Ministry of Health has provided personnel and drugs, AMREF is providing equipment and personnel for laboratory diagnostic services, and will also send in doctors and drugs as the need arises.
Ends
Note to editors: AMREF is Africa's leading health development organisation, based in Nairobi, Kenya. AMREF has been working with African communities for 50 years to improve health and health care for the most disadvantaged people. In 2005 AMREF won the Gates Award for Global Health in recognition of its work in Africa. See www.amref.org/uk For further information please contact:
Louise Orton - communications manager for AMREF UK on +44 (0)207 269 5526 or +44 (0)7939 141 764, email: l.orton@amrefuk.org
Bob Kioko – communications manager for AMREF HQ on +254 20 6993111 or +254 722 546449, email: bobk@amrefhq.org