First-ever modern dispensary offers lifeline to remote village
Natiira dispensary, which has a laboratory, maternity wing and space for more specialised services. The new facility will serve more than 10,000 people, some of whom migrated from Uganda.
What you need to know:
- The new dispensary will serve more than 10,000 people, some of whom migrated from Uganda last month due to mounting tensions.
- The facility attracted the attention of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development officials from five countries who, through a peer-to-peer exchange programme, established that having priority projects in refugee host communities reduces pressure on common projects like hospitals that have been serving both refugees and host communities.
For decades, residents of the remote village of Natiira in Turkana West Sub-county have been forced to cover more than 60 kilometres to get specialised treatment at advanced health facilities in Kakuma or Lokichoggio.
Over the years, only a one-roomed permanent structure with a single bed has been providing all health services, including maternity, to the village. It was constructed by the Africa Inland Church Health Ministries.
Ms Esther Akone, a resident, recalls that when her last pregnancy due date was approaching in 2020, there were other three expectant mothers from the village already at the structure, waiting to deliver.
“One woman had occupied the bed. The other two had no option but to use mats weaved from doum palm leaves. Together with my husband, we embarked on a tedious journey to Lokichoggio. We walked for more than an hour before we found a boda boda rider, who demanded Sh1,500,” she says.
Being away from home, they incurred more logistical and food costs — challenges that will now be tackled by the establishment of a new modern dispensary in the village.
She adds that boda bodas, which are the only reliable means of transport in the area, would charge an average of Sh1,000 from the village to a health facility in either Kakuma or Lokichoggio, an amount that many couldn’t afford.
“If one manages to pay the fare, there is the other challenge of congestion at the facilities, especially the one in Kakuma that serves even refugees,” Ms Akone says.
Another resident, Ms Jennifer Nang’iro, says that due to the lack of a laboratory, it was a challenge for them to detect the prevalence rates of communicable diseases at the village for reliable precautionary measures.
“Establishment of a laboratory and maternity unit that can accommodate three expectant mothers at a go is a big relief to us as it will tackle the major challenge of maternal related deaths as they (mothers) won’t be forced to struggle while going for delivery in hospitals in Kakuma and Lokichoggio,” Ms Nang’iro says.
Mr Patrick Lobei, area senior chief, says that as the chairman of Health Development Committee in the village, he first ensured that the villagers were given a chance to identify their priority project to be funded by the World Bank through Kenya Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project (KDRDIP).
“We settled on a modern dispensary that has a laboratory and a maternity wing so that we reduce over-reliance on hospitals in Kakuma that also serve refugees,” Mr Lobei notes.
He says the new facility will serve more than 10,000 people, some of whom migrated from Uganda last month due to mounting tensions.
The facility attracted the attention of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) officials from five countries who, through a peer-to-peer exchange programme, established that having priority projects in refugee host communities reduces pressure on common projects like hospitals that have been serving both refugees and host communities.
Dr Mohamed Elduma, a senior Igad official, said locals at Natiira village saw a need for the establishment of a modern dispensary. “The approach has been a game-changer in the delivery of the KDRDIP project in the Igad region, proving cost effective and delivering quality services while empowering communities,” Dr Elduma said.
