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by Jonathan White and James Nardella
Real Medicine’s Ochieng’ Memorial Lwala Community Health Center in Kenya is a community-based health care project that is managed and supported in partnership with the Lwala Community Alliance, a U.S. based humanitarian organization. The mission of the clinic is to meet the holistic health needs of all members of the Lwala Community, including its poorest.
Whenever possible it addresses health problems at their roots through community health interventions. It aims to provide excellent community-based health care, not to become a tertiary care facility. The health center is part of a larger effort to achieve holistic health and development in Lwala, including educational and economic development.
The primary beneficiaries of the Lwala Community Health Center’s work are children, pregnant women, HIV infected persons and the elderly. Prior to the establishment of the clinic, there was no immediate access to primary health care or HIV/AIDS testing and care.
For this reason, the Lwala health intervention has focused on primary care for children, access to medicines (particularly vaccines and antimalarials), HIV testing and care, public health outreach and safe maternity.
Opiyo’s story
Like many areas of East Africa, malaria is endemic in the lowlands of Lwala, Kenya near Lake Victoria. Children under age 5 are at the greatest risk of dying. Opiyo, 6 months old, was near death when he arrived after dark the Lwala Clinic. His racing heart and panting lungs were trying hard to push oxygen and anemic blood through his small body. Fluids, a transfusion, and malaria medicine were desperately needed. Unfortunately Opiyo’s dehydrated body prevented the clinical officer, a visiting Pediatrician, and Milton Ochieng, MD from getting an intravenous line started. Opiyo and mother, Milton and Fred Ochieng, and driver Joseph “Boy” piled into the Real Medicine funded 4 wheel drive ambulance and quickly headed for Kisii Provincial Hospital, one hour away. Again the emergency room staff could not gain standard intravenous access.
Dr. Milton’s recent intensive care experience in St. Louis kept him from giving up. After explaining a risky jugular vein IV insertion to Opiyo’s mother, obtaining consent, and saying a short prayer, Milton proceeded to insert a jugular line, blood was started, and Opiyo was on the road to recovery. The many parents of other sick children in the jammed emergency department had watched the drama, and sighed with relief and awe for Opiyo.
For more information about the Lwala clinic in Kenya: http://www.realmedicinefoundation.org/initiative/healthcare-project-lwala-kenya
If you’d like to donate to this or any of Real Medicine’s causes, you can click the donate button on this page or through our website at realmedicinefoundation.org
Tags: Africa, clinic, Kenya, malaria, malnutrition, maternal health, nutrition, primary care
Primary Care Clinic, Yayawatta,Tangalle, Sri Lanka
The clinic that started it all off for RMF, more than 5 years ago in Tangalle, Sri Lanka, continues to thrive and provide, community outreach and health education programs to Yayawatta Village and the surrounding areas. These areas have still barely gotten back on their feet after the complete destruction of many surrounding villages and infrastructure 5 years ago by the Tsunami. The clinic’s main beneficiaries include the population of Seenimodara, Kadurupokuna and Palapotha.
Having this convenient access to free healthcare is especially important for the areas young mothers, children, and the elderly. During the last 3 month period of March, April and May a total of 642 patients were evaluated and treated at our free clinic. The diseases we see most frequently here are upper and lower respiratory tract infections, viral fevers, gastrointestinal tract infections, heart disease, hypertensive disorders, skin diseases and different forms of arthritis.
Our staff also periodically conducts field visits of the Nursing Officer from the Government Health Authority which continues to provide important information for mothers about proper methods of family planning.
In addition to medical treatment provided we also periodically conduct community outreach programs and are preparing to throw a Health is Wealth program during the upcoming traditional festival season. We are hoping to have all the communities participate in this event with Drama, Art, and Essay competitions for both children and adults.
Some of our recent patients treated at the clinic:
Amila
Amila is a regular visitor to our clinic. He comes often and usually spends his time watching the activities at the clinic. He is featured in the photo above, wearing a red shirt. After the Tsunami he started suffering from depression and had changed completely from his old self. He also started engaging in destructive behaviors and was going out with friends who were abusing alcohol and smoking. After drinking he would frequently get into fights and quarrels with neighbors and family. After being alerted to Amila’s changing personality, RMF’s Medical Consultant, Dr. Chamal, spent hours with him, counseling him and giving him necessary treatments and now, according to Amila and his family, he has finally gained some normalcy and direction in his life.
Nuwan Kumara
This is 3-year-old Nuwan Kumara from Kadurupokuna. His mother had come to the clinic to have him treated for an allergic reaction, including a red rash on his face, hands and body. His mother complained that he had been scratching his face and hands after eating fish for dinner. Dr. Chamal subscribed a medical ointment to treat Nuwan’s allergy and after 3 weeks of treatment the allergy has gradually subsided and the rash has disappeared.
Hasini Malisha
Hasini Malisha is the 14-year-old daughter of Mrs. Samanthie who works at our Clinic. She had been suffering from an enlargement of her thyroid glands. She started having fainting attacks and was rushed to the Real Medicine Clinic at Yayawatta to be consulted by Medical Consultant, Dr. Chamal. He prescribed treatment to control the attacks and made arrangements to consult the Senior Surgeon, Medical Consultant Dr. Percy Dias immediately.
Two blood samples were sent to Colombo to check her TSH and T4 levels. Medication was prescribed following the tests with the advice to continue the treatment and after 1½ months to return to the clinic for follow up blood samples and reports. Hasini Malisha is feeling much better with the treatment.
Miss K.G. Maggie
Miss. K. G. Maggie is an elderly woman from Kadurupokuna. She has been a regular patient at the Real Medicine Clinic. She has great difficulty walking ever since a tragic fall many years ago that dislocated her hip bone. Recently she was very sick and could not make the journey to the Clinic and had pleaded with Dr. Chamal to come see her at her home. When Dr Chamal visited her he found her in very bad condition with severe swelling and redness in the lower part of her legs. Dr. Chamal diagnosed her with cellulitis and treated Maggie with strong antibiotics, continued observation. She could be cured without admission to the local hospital, which Maggie was very grateful for.
Read more about our first clinic at: http://www.realmedicinefoundation.org/initiative/primary-care-clinic-yayawatta-isp-tsunami-village-seenimodara-tangalle
Tags: child's health, children, clinic, Disaster Relief, maternal health, primary health care, Sri Lanka, tangalle, tsunami, yayawatta
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