The Beyond Zero Slum Container clinics installed in various areas in Kibera slums, Nairobi have reduced morbidity and mortality rate in Kibera Community.
The government funded clinics, installed by National Youth Services (NYS) in 2014 has seen over 10,000 residents from Kibra benefit with free medical services.
Ms. Beatrice Lusindi, in charge of Beyond Zero Community Clinics and Sub County Quality Improvement Focal Person and Infection Prevention in the area said NYS installed 11 containers clinics, eight of which are still operational.
“One of the container clinics at Silanga was burnt down while the other one at Katwekera (A) was destroyed during the post poll elections violence,” said Lusindi.
The eight operational containers at Line Saba, Nyumba Kubwa, Karanja road, Makina, Katwekera B, Kianda, Soweto and Raila areas offer curative, promotive and youth services to the community.
Lusindi said this while briefing the Nairobi County Development Implementation Coordination Committee (CDICC) during an inspection visit of government health funded projects in Kibra Constituency on Wednesday. The team was led by Ms. Jane Katuse from the Nairobi Regional Commissioner’s office and Kinoti Gatobu from the Presidential Delivery Unit, who is also the Secretary of the committee.
“Most mothers are able to do their normal chores and bring their children to the clinics that open at 8am to 5.00pm without incurring travelling cost, as the clinics are near their homes,” added Lusindi.
“Since the community is asking for more container clinics, we request the Ministry of Health for seven additional
containers to enable us serve more people,” she added.
Ms. Lusindi singled out shortage of nurses, clinical and support staff, water, lack of vaccine fridges and insecurity of
the clinic containers as some of the challenges the clinics are facing.
“The Beyond Zero Slum clinics currently only have three health officers while it should have five. Each clinic requires two clinical officers, two lab technicians, three nurses, a pharmacy technician and a clerk for registration,” she added.
Gatobu said the committee will visit all the 11 health facilities in Nairobi County to see the progress of the Universal Health Care (UHC) and the challenges they face, in a bid to improve the services.
In his remarks, the Nairobi County Head of Universal Health Coverage and Intergovernmental Coordination, Dr. Thomas Ogaro said there is need for the National Hospital Insurance Fund to speed up the accreditation process of all government facilities.
The Nairobi county executive for Health, Mohamed Dagane said Nairobi County government has plans of upgrading Mbagathi Hospital and Mama Lucy Hospital to a level five facility where patients can be referred from Kenyatta National Hospital.
“We are currently referring patients to Kenyatta National Hospital because we do not have an intensive care unit, we want to be a lead example to other counties, and make the national government achieve its agenda on universal health care,” he said.
The CDICC team also toured Kibra Health Centre where they commended staff for their good work and encouraged members of the public to visit the facility for cancer screening.
By Bernadette Khaduli
