“You have power over your health”.

The project is to improving maternal and community health through enhanced universal health coverage” is a three-year initiative that is funded by German Doctors and implemented by Community Health Promotion Fund (CHPF), in collaboration with North Coast Medical Training College, and Bomani-Malde Dispensary (a government facility) in Kilifi County Bomani Junju Mto/Mkuu sub-location. The project’s interventions aim to assist Kilifi County Health Department in improving access to universal health coverage services by assisting the implementation of existing Ministry of Health policies and guidelines. It aims at improving the maternal and community health of Bomani/Junju/Mto-Mkuu sub-location, Kilifi South with special attention to vulnerable and minority groups in addressing the existing needs of the rural population through different interventions being implemented.

The German Doctors are advocates for a life in dignity and provide healthcare services and training for disadvantaged people. German Doctors also strive to improve health in the long run through prevention programs, accompanying nutrition programs, and training in hygiene. Through the project, German Doctors wants to bring in human and other resources and use its experience, through collaboration with partners, to empower the local community, to improve provision of quality healthcare, and to support and improve existing systems to achieve UHC in the project area.

Home-based care program was introduced in the year 2022 to support patients who are in critical condition, patients who are not able to come to the dispensary. The program is being done by the doctors, clinical officers, social worker, physiotherapy, community health promoters and students from NMCT. The students mainly are coming in for learning and exposed to the community health dynamics.

We hve 200 patients on hypertension and diabetes, in records and …… are stable client whom are attending their clinic and adherence to drugs. As a project we give them health talks at the clinic’s day, HIPs and during outreaches; So, Irene Mkare is among the 12 patients whom were under the home-based care program.

Irene Mkarie takes a deep breath as she narrates her story, “am a mother of ……. Children and am a widow, am 62 years old, live in Chidongo village in Junju mto mkuu-ward in Kilifi sub- county. I never went to school, during our time our parents did not value education more so on a girl child. I come from a family of ………., of children and l was among of the girls who was not taken to school.

It has not been easy for me and my family when l was bed ridden with stroke, but I thank the German doctors’ services they offered for a period of ……. months, there is this lady German doctor l have forgotten her name, who also did a major work to take care of me on therapy sessions. I used to be visited like twice in a week for physiotherapy treatment and the other doctor used to give drugs and measure my pressure. He used to give me words of encouragement and always assures me that l will walk again and l will speak I will just be back to my normal situation. Which today my family is very happy especially my caretaker who is my daughter law she always gives out the testimony of me on the before and after the treatment We have 200 patients on hypertension and diabetes, in records and …… are stable client whom are attending their clinic and adherence to drugs. As a project we give them health talks at the clinic’s day, HIPs and during outreaches; So, Irene Mkare is among the 12 patients whom were under the home-based care program.

Irene Mkarie takes a deep breath as she narrates her story, “am a mother of ……. Children and am a widow, am 62 years old, live in Chidongo village in Junju mto mkuu-ward in Kilifi sub- county. I never went to school, during our time our parents did not value education more so on a girl child. I come from a family of ………., of children and l was among of the girls who was not taken to school.

It has not been easy for me and my family when l was bed ridden with stroke, but I thank the German doctors’ services they offered for a period of ……. months, there is this lady German doctor l have forgotten her name, who also did a major work to take care of me on therapy sessions. I used to be visited like twice in a week for physiotherapy treatment and the other doctor used to give drugs and measure my pressure. He used to give me words of encouragement and always assures me that l will walk again and l will speak I will just be back to my normal situation. Which today my family is very happy especially my caretaker who is my daughter law she always gives out the testimony of me on the before and after the treatment. Am also grateful to her because she was working very closely with the doctors and she was trained on how to take care of me. Until today she smiles, I call my daughter in-law my qualified home nurse, I can now speak which l couldn’t at all I was like a baby, I could not walk neither make any kind of movement l was a big burden to my caretake. But now I can walk off course not long distance, l can turn myself on the bed, l can eat on my own, which is a big relief to my family.

 Bomani dispensary gives the best services, and the doctors have good heart of supporting people and they will always give you hope of life. I never thought l will be back to normal, and today here I am very live l can chat with the doctors, friends and neighbors who thought l will die. What l will say is that the German project is that; they have really saved the lives of people in this ward. I can tell you people are spending a lot of money for transport to get the kind of services that l received, and the people living in poverty and exclusion just die. She is sad, I was in a lot of pain, I felt lonely, tears rolling over my face, I never though l will be back to my feet the only thing l could think was just death, l was just seeing a grave Infront of my bed. Am so grateful to the community health promoters who reported my condition to the officers on the ground, if it were not to them, believe me l would have been dead.

May you continue saving lives of   people living in poverty and exclusion everywhere you go and God will reward you abundantly; she smiles”.

As an organization we are happy with the progress of Irene Makire, no matter how devastated she was at the begging, because she lost hope and the family never thought she will recover. But with the closely monitoring by the doctors, it is amazing. Today Irene speak, laughs and walk, a bit independent, you would think that Irene suffered from severe stroke.

Kudos to the team of doctors-Dr. Rutger & Bea