Health brought closer

By Monica Soila

The international biomedical laboratory day was marked globally on April 15, 2014. 

It is in this light that a free medical camp was organized by the Kenyatta National Hospital; which was held at Isinya Primary School grounds.

 

Dr.Ashford Parantai from KNH spearheaded the medical camp. He hosted a team of fifteen doctors and other personnel to Isinya whereby he provided food and drinks and also covered part of the logistics.

“This is one of my ways of giving back to my community”, said Dr.Parantai an old boy of Isinya Primary School.

The turnout was somewhat good as many people from the interior used pick-ups to get to the venue. Local leaders including County health minister were also present to support the young man’s noble initiative.

“As you have witnessed today, we have mostly done cancer screening because it’s hard to find a Maasai going to hospital for such screenings. This is probably because they don’t even know about it, so it was also an opportunity to create awareness on such issues”, added Dr.Parantai

 

bus ferrying KNH staff to Isinya Pri. School

Isinya sub-county has been quite lucky in the recently days as a similar camp was held last month at the Isinya health center by the Safaricom foundation. It has had advantages and disadvantages to many; so to speak. Some people left the camp happy as they found out they were as healthy as can be, while others were shocked to discover that they had been seriously ill without even their knowledge.

Dr. Ashford Parantai

“I have known only today that am almost dying, they have referred me to Kenyatta National Hospital for surgery soonest tomorrow”, said Nancy Njeri who had been experiencing savere pains in her belly after she had her second born child. She also alleges that the pain is because she was manhandled by the doctors while delivering, therefore developing serious complications.

“Organizing a camp like this one can be very expensive, so the next one would be probably after three months in a different location”, said Dr.Parantai.

Even with challenges of life, it is clear that better times lies ahead for the residents of Isinya, and it is an excellent idea that both national and county governments embrace such life changing projects.

Two separate free medical checkups in a row! A benefit for Isinya residents

By Collins Shahonya.

Isinya residents got a boost this year after free medical services were brought to their area, the first one being done in March; Safaricom foundation was the main sponsor. And a month later, Kenyatta National Hospital, which is based in Nairobi, spearheaded the second edition of the free medical camp at Isinya primary school grounds on Tuesday the 15^th of April 2014.

Unlike the first free medical camp that was attended by thousands of people, from all parts of Kajiado County, KNH’s medical camp had minimal turn out that could be attributed to un-preparedness and poor advertising, which plays a pivot role in sensitizing people for such events.

Nevertheless, patients were up running to get the free medical services that ranged from Immunization for young children below the age of 5. Dental check up and diagnosis was also a free service offered to the community.

Mrs. Doreen Murura, who is a dentist at Kenyatta National Hospital, explained categorically the need of Isinya residents to stop the habit of chewing everything they come across. She taught the patients who lined up for the diagnosis on how to floss daily and even take care of their teeth.

time with the doctor

Miss. Lois Mutua, who was in charge of the dental lab, took the patients on different ways of replacing their teeth in case one or all of them were uprooted. Ranging from partial dentures, orthodontic appliances and complete dentures, Lois urged the patients to never give up on retaining their smiles due to lack of teeth in their mouth.

It was somehow shocking after the K24 crew, which were present to cover the day’s events, saw a young girl being injected the local injection rather known as Anesthesia for her tooth to be uprooted. The mother insisted that her girl was fond of sweet things, which are the main course of the tooth decay. Same sentiments were confirmed by the chief dentist.

HIV testing, lab services and nutrition were the other free services evident at the venue. Going green and eating a lot of green vegetables ranging from Broccolis, Sukuma wiki, cabbages and drinking lots of fresh fruit juices and water were the alternative in avoiding lot of complications in our bodies.

A young girl is administered with anaesthesia before tooth uprooting

A quick analysis revealed that a very minimal number of patients kept in mind the 8 glasses per day rule. The check up was under tight security with the presence of administration police sourced from Isinya police station, assistant chief Mr. Mpaashe and the area OCPD and OCS.

Kenyatta National Hospital targeted a minimum of 500 people for the free check up and by 3pm individuals were turned away, the same way the first check up was at Isinya Health centre. 

Despite the bad end, individuals who came early for the check up confirmed having been diagnosed and treated. This was such an advantage for the local leadership in harnessing a culture of having their community members embrace spontaneous check ups for the betterment of their health.

Isinya’s 365 days after elections

By Collins Shahonya.

After a successful lobbying and campaigns in the year 2013, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, IEBC, spearheaded the fourth elections since independence in the leadership of Mr. Isaac Hassan.

Kajiado East residents in Kajiado County voted overwhelmingly for Hon. David Nkirimpai, who is the member of county assembly for Kaputiei North ward, on a TNA ticket.

But what can the residents of this area recall 365 days since elections were held on the 4^th of March, 2013? Here we highlight some of the issues that made news in this area:

It is a new dawn for Isinya residents after 15 individuals,through ALIN, are trained on Citizen Journalism by Bob Aston . The journalists report human interest stories around Isinya area, which are published at isinyacitizenvoices.blogspot.com.Isinya Citizen Voices(ICV) becomes the new entrant to the long list of citizen Voices.

All sundry from Kaputiei North are trained on how to eat and indulge in fish farming. The event is attended by area politicians including the Governor of Kajiado County, Hon. David Nkedianye.

  

Noosuyian residents begin chili farming after discovering that chilies are not so tasking like other cash crops. With a 60*100m plot the residents have leased land on which they cultivate the chilies. A kg goes at Kshs. 80.

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Safaricom foundation sponsors the first edition of free check up dubbed “Your Health is The Better Option” in late March 2014. Thousands get treated at Isinya Health Centre of myriad types of diseases.

In a rare occurrence within this Maasai community, Rose Katita and Agnes Sayia are appointed to the position of assistant chiefs for Oloosidan sub-location, in Kajiado East Constituency in march. It is a plus for women and a sign of fulfilling the 2/3 gender party rule. The occasion takes place at Isinya police station and is attended by the community policing and Peace committee chair, Mr. Jeremiah Musumpai Ateti, the area OCS, OCPD and chiefs.

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The digital era is here and Isinya residents get a facelift to their economy after a new weighing bridge is commissioned last year. It has been of vital importance as recently tones of bhang worth millions of shillings are netted down at the weighing bridge .

It is a rude shock for residents of Isinya after 14 Christian faithful are swept and drowned in a flooding river Enkirrgirri. Residents and especially the deity opine that it is a hand of the “dark forces” and in  April, they fast in prayers at the sight for 3 days.

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In a rally come meeting attended by COTU secretary general Mr. Francis Atwoli at Isinya market in mid March, the COTU boss wants the workers to boycott going to work due to little salaries and poor working conditions in which they (the flower workers) are subjected to. Unfortunately the strategy is aborted earlier than expected. A well informed source at PJ DAVE flowers that can not be named due to security reasons believes that corruption played the game in curtailing their freedom and even goons were hired to beat up all the flower supervisors. His opinion has not been verified though.

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 A baby dies on the spot whilst the mother nurses injuries at Isinya health centre,after being knocked down by a car in which the occupants diappear without a trace.

A man is gunned down in Majengo area at around 2pm in the night amid a heavy downpour. It is alleged that the man had stolen a motorbike and that is why he was killed. The wife watches all that ensues and with the arguments that erupts before being murdered, a friend comes to their aid who is then short in the arm. Police are yet to make any arrests.

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In an article published by ICV blog, Majengo residents complain of a sewage that is near their homesteads and which over floods towards their residential places, risking their lives as disease outbreak can ensue from the dirty environs which has litter and junkyards in every corner of the slum area. The municipal council has taken no action up to date.

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Brokers are using fake succession documents to swindle money from innocent land buyers. A land near Isinya town belonging to the late Letemerei Parameiyan Purkei and measuring 246 hectares titled Kajiado/Kaputiei/1993, has been a bruising battle between two set of brokers who subdivided the land on paper and sold it to different buyers. A warrant of arrest has been issued by Mavoko law courts against the Kajiado county land registrar, Jonathan Koskei. A man, Victor Barasa Odhiambo is arrested in Kajiado town with hundreds of fake title deeds, green cards and Kenya Revenue Authority assessment documents and is alleged to have been working closely with Mr. Koskei. MR. Koskei goes underground after the court issues the warrant of arrest at the same time as the wife of the deceased; Manen Leteremei regains her husband land after seven years of court procedures.

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A new crop of stylish con men and women operating with municipal council documents and rubber stamps swindle business people in Isinya town in February, 2014. Upon a tip off to the police the suspects escape arrest.

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With the government cracking down on outlawed groups and in specific terror groups, taking a swipe at Eastleigh area in Nairobi, 4 Somalis without any Kenyan identification are arrested on a matatu headed to Namanga. The 4 are arraigned in court.

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Chief Sironka of Isinya location is duped to register individuals for a job opening with World Vision. They turn out to be con men. The conmen call the list of names from the chief’s office demanding Kshs. 1,500 as registration fee. The group goes un arrested and frantic efforts to block the conmen MPESA transactions goes un merited.

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A young boy perishes in a dam in Noosuyian village while swimming with his two friends. The two manage to escape living the boy’s body floating in the dam. Governor David Nkedianye issues a warning to silange (a dam in Maasai dialect) owners. Calls for the family to be compensated, as the dam belongs to a roof sheets processing company is disputed.

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After the dam incident, women in Noosuyian village go nude as they demonstrate due to laxity in the part of dam owners. Police are brought in to deter the angry crowd of women.

Two men are severely wounded after being bitten by their cousins. All coming from Majengo area, the two say their cousins were all drank. One is bitten on his left eye while the other on the left ear. Both are treated and discharged at Isinya health centre though they refuse to take legal action against their cousins.

From the review it is highly evident that Isinya has been in the bad light for various reasons. This is therefore a call on all stake holders to take up their roles and stop sleeping on their job!

Negligence in public hospitals

By Rose Nyangena & Monica Soila

Public hospitals have been in the limelight all for the wrong reasons, the biggest being slackness especially bearing in mind that it is the only place that caters for the common mwananchi when it comes to matters, health.

In Isinya health center, unavailability of drugs, lack of laboratory reagents, few or no staffs are but some of the biggest tribulations faced by the community.

It has come to the knowledge of many that some of the staff in the hospital have allegedly established their own clinics, laboratories and chemists, whereby a patient is referred to, after being told that there are no drugs as well as lab services for lack of reagents.Whats worse is that these doctors and health workers are doing this for their own gains, consequently exploiting people.

“It is totally unacceptable when I don’t get any services from the only public facility available just because someone who is supposed to attend to me is so selfish. We all know that the lab technician in our health center owns a clinic just outside the facility”, said an agitated woman during a brief meeting with the County Minister for health at the international biomedical laboratory day at Isinya primary school.

“There are no lab reagents for adults so I was sent to a laboratory belonging to a friend of the clinical officer, this is pure business that these people are into”, said another lady in the crowd.

The community urged the minister and his team to visit the facility to verify the claims for themselves.

“Most of the time one is left unattended for many hours, and I think this is because some of the staff have overstayed in the facility. Please let there be an overhaul of these staff to see if there will be a positive change”, said another man who had an unpleasant ordeal in the health center.

Airing their grievances in the presence of the County Minister for health, the people of Isinya sub-county now have hope that a stern measure will be taken to deal with some of these sensitive issues.