The camp was organized by the Office of the Governor, who extended invitations to dental and nursing professionals from America
A team of medics from Kenya and the United States has completed a two-week medical outreach tour of health facilities in Kajiado County.
Sammy Ntete, a software engineer who was involved in organising the logistics for the visit, said the team comprising a dentist and seven specialized nurses started their voluntary medical programme on 2 July.
โThe health workers attended to patients at Kajiado County Referral Hospital for a week, then proceeded to the Loitokitok, Mbirikani, and Mashuuru health facilities,โ said Ntete. โWe thank the County Government of Kajiado under the leadership of Governor Joseph ole Lenku for the assistance extended to the team.โ
The medical team from the US was led by Dr Dan Juma, a dentist. The camp was organized by the Office of the Governor, who extended invitations to dental and nursing professionals from America. The aim of the camp was to provide free medical care and raise awareness about hygiene matters in Kajiado County.
The tour resulted from a visit by Lenku to North America and took almost three years to materialize owing to the COVID-19 pandemic that caused disruptions around the world.
The team came with significant medical supplies for the medical tour, which were complemented by provisions from the county health department. Basic dental treatments such as cleanings, fillings, root canal and extractions were conducted for patients requiring immediate care.
A total of 476 dental check-ups were conducted, from which 132 extractions were done. There were also 11 fillings, seven root canals, two cases of scaling, and one disimpaction.
All treatment was offered free of charge and those in need of further attention were referred to various hospitals. Oral health education sessions were also organized, covering topics such as brushing techniques, proper nutrition for oral health, and the importance of regular check-ups.
Apart from dental care, other areas of specialization that benefited from the team included emergency care, mental health, and trauma.
The success of the medical mission was corroborated by Terry Saidimu, who was also involved in organizing the effort. โI was amazed at how these professionals sacrificed and paid their own air tickets to come and work for free. We can all make an impact in our societies if we emulate them and use our skills, knowledge and experience to help others.โ
Ms Saidimu further said she had noted a marked improvement in the quality of health services in the county. โThis is particularly beneficial to women, who tend to be the majority gender seeking medical treatment.โ
Initially, the medical tour was planned to involve both Narok and Kajiado counties, with each benefitting for a week. However, the Narok tour was dropped in favour of focusing on Kajiado so as to have a greater impact rather than have a thin team spread out across two counties.
Following the success of the visit, Ntete says there are moves to make the medical tour an annual affair. This will be the result of creating a lasting relationship with hospitals and universities based in the US. The aim is also to make it a bigger activity involving a bigger team of doctors and nurses.
