Department of Children Service (DCS) has partnered with Nuru Ya Mtoto, a non-governmental Organization, to assist Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) living with HIV/AIDS in Nyamira County reduce their viral load.
Nuru ya Mtoto will implement a program dubbed ‘Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)’ with an aim of improving especially health services for OVCs living with HIV/AIDS in the region.
Mr. Bob Odhiambo the assistant project coordinator said the OVCs living with HIV/ AIDS are neglected and never enrolled in sustainable health programs to help them suppress their viral loads. They develop health related complications at a very tender age and their lives become a misery leading to early deaths.
“Nuru ya Mtoto has initiated a program dubbed ‘Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)’ to enroll them in quality health programs to receive medication and essential commodities at the same time be closely monitored to help them learn to accept and manage their health challenges,” he observed
“Our program is supporting a formation of a County and Sub County Technical Working Groups (TWAG)which will be trained to ensure that OVCs efficiently access deserved health services and also enjoy their childhood life just like their ‘healthy’ counterparts,” Explained Odour.
He said that some of the responsibilities of the TWG will include sensitisation and dissemination of the CQI policy and its program, establishment and support of a reporting system to ensure their is consistent follow up and reporting of the programs’ progress to key stakeholders including the beneficiaries and the benefitting community.
The other objective is to establish implementation teams up to the village level so that the community owns the program and accept to enroll as many beneficiaries as possible to the program so that these children are nurtured for a healthier brighter future.
Nyamira South Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Florence Obunga commended the program saying it was very timely in ensuring the OVCs in Nyamira County are given priority and access the basic right to health services indiscriminately irrespective of their social and economic status.
“Orphans and Vulnerable children especially those with health conditions and with disability are highly discriminated upon in society and we really appeal to community members to be considerate enough and accommodate such vulnerable children because they have a right to health and belonging just like those other children who have the privilege of accessing all they need for their holistic growth,” DCC Obunga appealed.
By Deborah Bochere
