Medical Initiatives
Healthcare
Level of Care
- 9,200 new patients treated since August, 2006
- Several thousand return visits
Demographic Data
- 25% infants/children under age five
- 26% women of childbearing age (15 - 49 years)
- 49% females (over 50) or males 5-70 years of age
Prevalent diseases
- Malaria
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Diarrheal diseases
- Worms and parasites
- Skin diseases and ulcers
- Eye diseases
- Typhoid
- Dental disorders
- Respiratory diseases (asthma, pneumonia,tuberculosis, etc.)
- HIV/AIDS
Recent Initiatives
- Childhood Immunization: As of November 2008, we have vaccinated over 100 children against polio, diphtheria, pertussis, whooping cough, and other childhood diseases.
- Maternity Care: Mercy Center Lare Board members are requesting a 2-bed maternity unit. 80% of women still give birth at home; many of these women would prefer to go to a maternity center.
- Mobile Health Clinic: The staff in Lare has developed a plan to use the ambulance for outreach clinics in the surrounding neighborhoods. Patients who cannot walk to the clinic will now receive care closer to their homes.
Partnerships
- Crosslink International (Falls Church, VA): A shipping container with essential medical supplies will arrive in Lare in February or March of 2009.
- Little Sisters of St. Francis and Nyumbani Village (Kenya): Staff members are helping us run the clinic and develop plans for an HIV treatment and counseling center.
Dental Care
Clean water, healthy teeth?
Dental care is inextricably linked to personal hygiene, overall health and clean water for drinking and cooking. Forte’s Well has provided clean, safe drinking water since 2002. Our fluoride levels are relatively low and within the standard set by the United Nations. We plan to expand our water program through a water kiosk system; the goal is to improve access to clean water.
Poverty and Dental Care
Rural Kenya lacks the infrastructure, services, and available resources to provide sufficient dental care and dental disease prevention education. Clean water, electricity, transportation, financial resources, and human resources are few and far between. In rural areas, access to dental care is often limited to emergency care. Additional treatment is unavailable, unreliable or too expensive.
Dental Volunteers
The German dental organization, Arzt-und Zahnarzthilfe Kenya e.V., periodically visits the clinic through a partnership with St. Anthony's Health Center in Nakuru. St. Anthony's provides equipment, such as a mobile dental chair, table, generator, etc. The Mercy Center clinic staff identifies patients who are most in need of dental care. In addition, a flyer is circulated each week with dates for upcoming dental clinics, as well as immunizations clinics and prenatal clinics. A small fee, $1.50, is charged per patient. Each dental clinic treats 50 - 60 people.
Mercy Center, Lare and Mercy Center Foundation invite interested volunteers and organizations to help with this initiative. There is a great need to reach more people; we are in an excellent position to do so. The clinic is in full operation and we enjoy the support of St. Anthony's Health Center. Interested volunteers and organizations are welcome to join us!
For more information about dental issues in rural Kenya, click here.
Click here to join the Dental Care effort.
