Category: Medical

The County Government of Busia plans to establish at least two mental health units in each of its seven Sub-counties.

The County Deputy Governor, Arthur Odera, while speaking Saturday during a forum to mark the international suicide prevention day at Amerikwai Primary School in Teso South Sub County, said that the county leadership is committed to improving the entire health sector.

‘We know that a healthy population is a productive population, which will bring the next generation to take this county forward,’ he said.

Odera, who doubles as the CEC Member for Health, added that the Department also plans to increase the number of staff within the mental health sector so that residents can access the services even at the grassroots level.

‘Right now we only have psychiatrist nurses and counselling psychologists,’ he said, adding that the county leadership will employ a psychiatrist who will establish the unit at the County Referral hospital.

The deputy governor further expressed the county’s willingness to work closely with the relevant non-governmental organisations to ensure that stigma connected to mental health issues is alleviated.

‘We will work with you to spread the message of mental health across this county,’ said Odera.

Erick Wandera, a psychologist from Friendly Innovative Development Solutions (FIDS), noted that men were more susceptible to committing suicide than women.

Wandera noted that according to the WHO, suicide is ranked third among the major causes of death among youth aged 15 to 19.

Javan Olocho, in charge of the mental health department at the Busia County Referral Hospital, said that the facility recorded 54 cases of suicide last year.

‘We managed to handle the cases successfully, but unfortunately we lost seven lives,’ he said, adding that 80 suicide cases have been reported at the facility from January to August this year, with nine of them leading to death at the county referral hospital alone.

Olocho further stated that reports from Sub County hospitals have not been established due to a shortage of staff to serve there.

Rose Wandaki, the Director of FIDS, however, stated that the organisation has come up with empowerment programmes to support women in the community so as to reduce gender-based violence, which is seen as a major cause of mental health challenges.

‘We have done women’s empowerment sensitization so that they can be independent and be able to help the men in providing for the home, and this has reduced the number of cases of gender-based violence,’ she said.

According to the World Health Organisation report, at least 800,000 suicide incidences have been reported per year, which means that every 40 minutes, one person commits suicide.

Source: Kenya News Agency

50 more infections of coronavirus were reported in the governorate of Mahdia from August 27 to September 9, the Local Health Directorate of Mahdia said.
3 patients are currently in the hospital, Local Health Director Sami Boudaoura told TAP on Saturday, adding that medical teams are carrying out rapid antigenic tests on nasal swabs to detect the virus.
Vaccination against the COVID-19 for the elderly is still underway in the governorate, he underlined.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

River pollution in Kenya has become one of the major negative effects that have greatly contributed to global warming and climate change.
Major rivers dissecting urban centres across the country are chocked with sewer and solid waste discharges from households and industries, which are released with the notion that rivers can clean themselves.
According to the Water Organisation Report 2021, with Kenya’s population of around 50 million, 41 per cent of Kenyans, mostly in rural areas, still rely on rivers and streams as their main source of water.
In this respect, residents of Migori County have raised an alarm about the never-ending pollution of the River Migori, a major source of water for Migori municipalities and its environs.
Atito Ochieng, a town dweller, says that individuals living upstream in urban areas and municipalities continue to immensely pollute the River Migori, making its water unusable both for domestic use and for animals downstream.
‘River Migori and Nyasare continue to be polluted by solid waste generated by human activities that render the precious waters that pass through Migori municipality unusable for the town dwellers,’ lamented Ochieng.
Ochieng says that there is a lot of waste, like pampers, plastic bags and bottles, kitchen waste from town hotels, and oil leaks from car washing spots, making the rivers Migori and Nyasare harmful.
‘We are urging the four county municipalities in Migori to come up with effective mechanisms on how to prevent river and stream pollution in our major towns of Awendo, Rongo, Migori, and Kehancha,’ said Ochieng.
Migori has in recent weeks experienced an outbreak of cholera, although the disease has not been attributed directly to the polluted waters of the Migori River.
However, Ochieng explained that it was important to safeguard the waters to ensure the county does not experience outbreaks of opportunistic diseases like cholera, bilharzia, and typhoid.
With the state of river pollution becoming worse, some local residents of Migori town have decided to form community groups that embrace environmental conservation.
Peris Achieng, the chairperson of the Aroso Community Environmental Initiative, notes that they decided to take the initiative of cleaning up the streams that channel water to the River Migori with the aim of taking responsibility and enlightening residents on the importance of environmental care.
She acknowledges that if the community can take the first step in environmental conservation, society can be a better place for everyone to live.
‘We use simple tools like spades, folks, and jembes to clean up and unclog the stream, and my plea to the local community is to use whatever they have at their disposal to conserve our environment,’ notes Achieng.
Achieng, however, stresses that although their initiative is not a permanent solution to addressing river pollution, she is optimistic that the county government and environmental actors will continue to help in the conservation of the streams and rivers.
Her advice to Migori residents is to ensure that they support, take responsibility for, and fully participate in the environmental conservation of rivers and streams for the sake of future generations.
However, Migori County Chief Officer for Environment, Natural Resources, Climate Change, and Disaster Management, Mr. Chacha Mwikwabe, affirmed that plans were underway to sensitise residents on proper waste disposal, river conservation, and management aimed at protecting the environment.
Mwikwabe disclosed that the county government has been changing its approach to encourage collaboration, inclusivity, and consultative effort instead of using force to address environmental conservation.
The officer urged the county residents to always utilise the collection bins designated in various points of the town to minimise waste dumps that always find their way to the River Migori.
Mwikwabe also pinpointed that environmental conservation is a collective responsibility, and there was a need to join hands and stick to the alternative provided in addressing waste disposal into rivers that causes irreversible damage to the environment.
He said that the county municipality will continue to improve infrastructure in urban towns to address drainage systems and waste management disposal.
One of the commitments of the Nairobi Declaration in the just concluded Africa Climate Summit (ACS) 2023 was endorsing investments in urban infrastructure through upgrading informal settlements and slum areas to build climate-resilient cities and urban centres.
Similarly, Migori County Director of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Mr. Tom Togo, emphasised that one of the major problems Migori municipalities are facing is the lack of a proper wastewater management system.
He underscored that with the ever-increasing demand for housing in Migori town, there was a likelihood that some wastewater from households could end up in rivers, which may pollute them even further.
Togo affirmed that the responsibility of environmental bodies like NEMA was to ensure the environment was conserved. He, however, encouraged the residents to take sole responsibility for being self-disciplined by not partaking in environmental pollution.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Construction work on the Viana General Hospital is at 82 per cent and could be finished by December of this year.

This was announced Saturday during a working visit by the President of the Republic João Lourenço to the infrastructure, during which he received explanations about the progress of the work.

When it is completed, the reference hospital unit in this district will have capacity for 356 beds, including 34 cots, according to data from the Ministry of Health’s Studies and Planning Office, to which ANGOP had access.

Estimated at 125.5 million euros, the hospital unit will be able to employ 1,200 staff, including doctors, nurses, imaging and laboratory technicians.

The project, located in the urban district of Zango, in the municipality of Viana, is at 86 per cent complete.

Under construction since August 2021, the facility is being built on an area of 25,000 square metres and will have five operating theatres, eight inpatient wards, a centralised diagnostic centre, among other services.

The emergency service will include obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, orthopedics and general medicine.

Outpatient consultations will include general medicine, cardiology, neurology, ENT, ophthalmology, orthopaedics/traumatology, gynaecology/obstetrics, stomatology, urology, general surgery, anaesthesiology and oncology.

The Viana General Hospital will also have an endoscopy service, laboratories, imaging, dialysis, an operating theatre and rehabilitation and therapy.

With more than two million inhabitants, Viana is one of the most populous municipalities in Luanda province and has the greatest shortage of health facilities

Source: Angola Press News Agency

The Seychelles health ministry has received cutting-edge medical equipment from Seychelles Medical (SMS) to help in its commitment to universal healthcare.

The recent donation consists of state-of-the-art laboratory equipment with advanced technologies that contribute to various medical applications which is worth SCR 3 million ($232,400). The equipment was handed over to Dr. Danny Louange, chief executive of the Health Care Agency by the director and owner of Seychelles Medical, Justin Etzin.

The donation includes DNA fingerprinting, forensic, analysis, genetic disease diagnosis, and pathogen detection, including viruses like Hepatitis B and C, HIV-1 among others.

Seychelles Medical said that these tools hold tremendous potential for enhancing research capabilities and improving patient care at Seychelles Hospitals and healthcare facilities.

The director and owner of Seychelles Medical, Justin Etzin, said: “We are proud to stand alongside the Ministry of Health in their mission to provide excellent healthcare to the people of Seychelles. Our donation of specialised high-end laboratory equipment, including cutting-edge DNA replication and detection machines, showcases our dedication to advancing medical diagnostics and research in the country.”

In addition to laboratory equipment, SMS is also providing bio-safety cabinets, refrigeration systems, storage solutions, and other equipment, along with consumables that bolster safety measures for medical operations and examinations within the hospital setting.

The Minister of Health, Peggy Vidot, expressed gratitude for the generous donation.

“The collaboration between Seychelles Medical (SMS) Private Clinic and the Ministry of Health exemplifies the power of public-private partnerships in advancing healthcare and medical services in the country,” she said.

Meanwhile, Seychelles Medical has embarked on its next phase and is offering medical protection that will allow Seychelles companies to provide their employees with fast and easily accessible healthcare.

Etzin told SNA that “investing in employees is pivotal to a company’s success’. This investment encompasses not only training and development but also prioritising their health and indwelling.”

“The ‘Ultimate Medical Protection’ grants employees access to a wide range of exceptional benefits, including around the clock doctor consultations at their home or work place, full annual checkups, monthly wellness clinics, family-centric advantages, and access to an international online health and wellness platform featuring yoga classes and healthy recipes,” he added.

Seychelles Medical clinic was set up in 2011 and currently offers extensive services to local individuals as well as visitors to the island nation.

“We provide a 24/7 on-call doctor service, available for Seychellois at their home or workplace, starting at just SCR500 ($38). Whether you have suspected food poisoning, flu, need a prescription, have an elderly relative that cannot travel to the local hospital, or anything else, our doctors will come to you,” said Etzin.

He said that for tourists visiting Seychelles, SMS allows them the choice of receiving medical consultations in the comfort and privacy of their hotel rooms.

On the health situation in Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, Etzin said that it is remarkably positive.

“The nation has made significant strides in ensuring the health and wellbeing of its citizens and residents. Seychelles boasts a robust healthcare infrastructure with excellent facilities and highly trained medical professionals. One of the most impressive aspects of Seychelles’ health system is its commitment to universal healthcare,” he added.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

Kisumu County Government has partnered with Safaricom Foundation to build a Mother and Child (MCH) specialist hospital in the area.

The area Governor, Prof. Anyang Nyong’o, said construction of the facility is expected to kick off soon to meet the rising demand for specialised MCH services.

He added that the facility will have a special component for teenage mothers to allow them to continue with their studies while the children are taken care of at the hospital.

This comes in the wake of rising teenage pregnancies, which continue to impede girls education.

Support for teenage mothers, he said, was paramount to enable them to proceed with their studies and, at the same time, ensure the children had access to proper medical care and nutrition.

This, he added, would ensure that they don’t suffer from stigma, which in the end affects their learning.

Speaking at Ratta in Seme Sub-Country, where he received the Nyamira Girls High School hockey team, which lifted the East Africa Secondary Schools Girls Hockey title in Rwanda, Nyong’o said wholistic support for the girl child was critical to enabling them to unleash their full potential.

The champions defeated Kakungulu Memorial, Tigoi Girls, St. Marc’s Namagunga, Gayaza High School, Bwaranyangi Girls, and St. Joseph Girls Kitale to lift the regional title.

Nyong’o congratulated the team for making the Nyanza region and Kenya proud.

He gave a personal donation of Sh300,000 to the team to support them as they proceed to represent Africa at the World Inter-School Championships in Serbia.

Ten members of the team hail from Ratta village and are beneficiaries of a hockey academy rolled out at Ratta Primary School in 2014 to promote the sport.

The initiative, he said, has had a positive impact on the girls, adding that his government is committed to supporting talent development and sports.

‘My government values sports and has been giving it priority since I came into office in 2017,’ he said.

Nyong’o further said that through a collaboration with the national government, the county had built the Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium in Mamboleo, which, besides hosting the Africities Summit last year, is currently serving as the home ground for national Premier League side Gor Mahia.

The county government, he said, was in the process of rehabilitating Moi Stadium and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Sports Complex, which will soon be open to the public.

Source: Kenya News Agency

A 45-year-old man from Busia is appealing for help from well-wishers to undergo urgent surgery at the Busia County Referral Hospital to correct haemorrhoids that call for immediate action.

Leonard Otuga from Kolemu village, Amoni location in Teso North sub-county, is struggling to raise Sh35,000 needed by the county referral for correction of the disorder that has denied him a smile in recent days.

The single father of seven, who is the breadwinner, can no longer go on with his daily duties as a result of the complication.

‘I can’t control the passing of stool and urine; I am forced not to eat anything if I have to travel or sit for long hours,’ said Otunga.

He is now appealing to leaders and well-wishers to help him raise Sh35,000 for the surgery, scheduled for this month.

According to a medical report from BCRF, haemorrhoids and anal fissures have similar symptoms and causes, and it’s easy to mistake one for the other.

Both can happen when you strain too much for long calls, and both can cause rectal bleeding, anal pain, and anal itching. While haemorrhoids are more common, anal fissures are more commonly the cause of anal pain.

Otuga can be reached either through the Information Office in Amagoro or on his personal number, 0797921371.

Source: Kenya News Agency

“Some 230 COVID-19 infection cases were logged last August, against 26 in July,” said Local Health Director in Tunis Tarek Ben Nasr.

“22 people were hospitalised in August, including 2 in intensive care, against 13 hospitalisations in July,” he told TAP.

“However, no deaths were reported during the same period,” he pointed out.

The official further indicated that only 17 COVID-19 shots are being administered per day, calling citizens and particularly the elderly and people with chronic diseases, to get vaccinated to avoid contamination.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Seychelles’ health authorities have agreed to expedite the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Zambia to facilitate the recruitment of Zambian health professionals to work in the island nation.

In a press statement on Thursday, the Ministry of Health said that Minister Peggy Vidot and her Zambian counterpart Sylvia Masebo made the agreement during a meeting on the sidelines of the 73rd Regional Committee of the Africa region of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“The MoU will also allow Seychellois health professionals to be trained in Zambia. Seychelles has a lack of health professionals while Zambia has a surplus. Discussions have been ongoing between the two sides since early this year for the recruitment of doctors,” said the Ministry.

Discussions have been ongoing between the two sides since early this year for the recruitment of doctors.

According to the Annual Health Sector Performance Report of 2022, as at the end of 2022, there were 514 doctors on the register of the Seychelles Medical and Dental Council (SMDC). Only 22 percent are Seychellois nationals and around 241 doctors on the register were professionally active in Seychelles in 2022.

As per Article 29 of the Constitution, Seychelles offers free primary health care in state institutions for all its citizens.

During her meeting, Vidot said, “With the MoU, Seychelles stands to benefit from a broader scope of cooperation, sharing of best practices and capacity building.”

Minister Vidot also met with the health minister of Rwanda, Sabin Nsanzimana, to follow up on the signing of an MoU held in discussions in June with Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

Vidot and Nsanzimana agreed to the visit of a delegation from the Seychelles health ministry to Rwanda for Seychelles to have a deeper insight into the health training facilities, the primary health care system, and the use of the electronic health information system there, among others.

The collaboration between Seychelles, Rwanda and Zambia represents a new approach of the island nation’s Ministry of Health, to collaborate more with high performance developing countries.

The Seventy-third session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa took place in Gaborone, Botswana from August 28 August to September 1.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

A private hospital in Nyali constituency is accused of medical negligence that led to the untimely death of a patient under their care.

Pascaline Nyambeya, daughter of the deceased, says that her mother, Sisirya John was misdiagnosed by the hospital in her 59-day stay.

After the death of the 78-year-old patient, the hospital declined to discharge the body until the medical bill was cleared but civil societies intervened and the body was released.

The family hired a private pathologist who conducted a postmortem on Saturday under the watch of officials from the Muslim for Human Rights (MUHURI) organization and DCI officers at a funeral home.

‘I urge the government to take action by investigating this hospital because today is the first time I’ve known my mum had cancer but was being treated for other ailments,’ said Nyambeya.

‘When we went to the hospital, they said it was a stroke but she got complications and was taken to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). They started saying it was kidney failure, aspiration pneumonia but according to today’s autopsy, for the first time it was revealed that my mum had cancer. I didn’t know that they never told me, she said.

She accuses the hospital of improper administration of treatment to her mum during her stay at the hospital resulting in diagnosis and misdiagnosis.

‘I wish they told me the truth. They told me it’s pneumonia. I wish they told us Mum had terminal cancer,’ said Nyambeya sobbing uncontrollably.

She wants the Kenya Medical Practitioners Council (KMPC) to unravel the mystery of misdiagnosis by doctors.

The hospital was accused of making incessant calls to the daughter to top up the money she had paid as a deposit.

‘Even today they refused to release her medical records to carry out autopsy,’ revealed Nyambeya adding if she knew her mum had cancer, she could have received different treatment.

‘I was very harassed by the hospital for money. I even used to hide in the ward. It has traumatized me a lot,’ she decried.

Rapid Response Officer MUHURI Francis Auma calls for accountability of private hospitals in the country.

‘Her mum’s death was painful under the watch of doctors who are supposed to save lives. We hired a private pathologist who found out that the doctors messed and she died too early because of the negligence of doctors and greed for money,” he said.

Lawyer Concern Citizen Bradley Ouna said they would report the medical negligence case to the Kenya Medical and Dentists Practitioners Council and file an inquest in court.

‘The doctors were treating a condition they were not aware of and they didn’t want to know,’ he said.

Source: Kenya News Agency