Residents of five villages in Kanyidoto location within Ndhiwa Constituency are a happy lot after a Community Based Organization opened up a new health facility to curb malaria infections.
Pundo Community Based Organization opened Arombe Medical Centre as an initiative to help end endemic malaria infections as well as infant and maternal deaths.
The Medical Center Administrator Evans Orinda explained that the facility has been striving to achieve its goals since its establishment late last year.
He further stated that the facility had been established to reduce the long distances covered by the residents seeking medical services adding that initially the nearest health facility, Ndhiwa Sub County hospital, had been about 12 kilometers away which discouraged malaria patients and expectant mothers from going for the essential service.
“The area was chosen due to its proximity to about 5,000 households who are in dire need of health services especially malaria treatment,” explained Orinda.
Orinda encouraged residents of Arombe, Kalamindi, Wachara, and the neighboring areas to utilize the health facility by ensuring no one is left behind in accessing health services.
“This is a community health facility and we should all embrace and support it by ensuring that our sick neighbors and family members seek medical services,” implored Orinda.
The medical officer in charge of Arombe health facility Samwel Ochanda said the major challenges experienced by residents are the high malaria infections, especially among children as well as skin diseases.
He elaborated that the facility already had in place community sensitization outreach programs by the staff and volunteers to educate expectant mothers on the importance of visiting approved health facilities for antenatal and post-natal care to help reduce the mortality rate of infants and mothers.
“We have outreach programs to educate residents and learners on ways of preventing malaria infections as well as the importance of seeking medical services,” explained Ochanda.
Some of the schools surrounding the facility that seek medical services include Nyarongi mixed secondary and primary schools, St. Mary’s Wachara secondary school, St. Lucy’s Rambo girls’ secondary school, Mariwa primary school among others.
By Omar Zabbibah and Sitna Omar
