Category: Medical

In an effort to revolutionize agricultural practices and boost food security, a Soil Health Campaign was unveiled at the Kisii Agricultural Training Centre (KATC).

Spearheaded by the collaborative efforts of Kenya Crops and Dairy Market Systems (KCDMS), an organization funded by USAID and the Kisii County Government, the campaign seeks to empower small-scale farmers through enhanced knowledge and informed decision-making regarding soil management.

During the campaign launch, Kisii County Governor Paul Simba Arati underscored the pivotal role of the caravan, which is slated to traverse all 45 wards within the county. This comprehensive approach seeks to sensitize farmers about the importance of soil testing and management. The governor spelt out that the initiative aligns seamlessly with the government’s overarching agenda to alleviate the cost of living, particularly the expense associated with food.

‘The key to unlocking a more sustainable and economically viable future for our farmers lies in informed decision-making,’ the governor emphasized. He added that at least 200 farmers from each ward would be encouraged to participate in soil testing, a practice designed to facilitate intelligent farming choices, including prudent fertilizer application.

Governor further reassured farmers that the soil testing process would be streamlined and hassle-free, as no documentation or proof of land ownership would be required for farmers to test their farm soil. The testing, he emphasized, would be expedited and would not consume more than 20 minutes of farmers’ time.

He highlighted the alarming trend of acidic soil in Kisii County, with an average pH of about 5.0, and indicated that the provision of subsidized fertilizers by the government could be even more advantageous for farmers armed with precise soil health information.

Further comprehensive training sessions will be delivered by the county’s dedicated extension officers alongside experts from The Future Kenya Crops and Dairy Market Systems (KCDMS). The partnership with KCDMS extends beyond training as it seeks to bridge farmers with financial providers, offering an avenue for sustainable growth and development within the agricultural sector.

Expanding its impact beyond Kisii, KCDMS envisions a sweeping Soil Health Campaign across the Western Kenya counties of Kisumu, Kakamega, Busia, Bungoma, Vihiga, Siaya, and Kisii. This concerted effort aligns with KCDMS core mission to foster informed and science-based agricultural practices, ultimately leading to amplified crop yields, fortified food security, and elevated livelihoods for farmers in the region.

This landmark initiative resonates with the ethos of collaboration between the government, development organizations, and the agricultural community. The Soil Health Campaign not only exemplifies a concerted effort to elevate farming practices but also reflects a shared commitment to cultivating a more sustainable and prosperous future for Kenya’s farming fraternity.

The launch event witnessed the presence of other esteemed officials, including Deputy Governor Dr. Robert Monda and KCDMS Technical Director Seth Oyako. Their participation reaffirmed the collaborative spirit and shared commitment to fostering sustainable agricultural growth in Kenya’s heartland.

Source: Kenya News Agency

President Kais Saied chaired on Monday a working meeting at Carthage Palace to discuss the reasons for the delay in the implementation of the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Hospital project in the city of Kairouan.

The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani, Advisor to the President of the Republic Mustapha Ferjani, Minister of Health Ali Mrabet, Minister of Public Works and Housing Sarra Zaafrani Zanzari, Senior Advisor to the President of the Republic for National Security Abderraouf Atallah, Governor of Kairouan Mohamed Bourguiba and Rejab Aroud, CEO of the Agence foncière d’habitation (AFH).

The President said this delay deprives many citizens of their legitimate right to health and treatment and damages the credibility of the Tunisian state.

He also stressed that the pretexts of studies, technical aspects and other “flimsy reasons” are no justification. Saied added that the continuation of studies from 2017 to the present day is unacceptable. “The funds are allocated, but each time a study is completed, it is replaced by a second study, to be followed by a third, and there is no real effect of any achievement.”

A number of other projects carried out in the framework of bilateral cooperation, which had been fully completed but remained closed under the pretext of connection to water distribution networks, electricity or sanitation, were also raised.

The President of the Republic stressed the need to speed up the implementation of a number of projects and to hold accountable all those who are working to disrupt their completion, whether within state institutions or from pressure groups that see public utilities as a threat to them or damaging to their interests.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

The local hospital in Zarzis has received a donation of a medical oxygen generator from civil society, said hospital director Abdelkader Taghouti, adding that a team will arrive next week to install the generator and train hospital staff.

The donation is part of an initiative by the Souihel-Zarzis Integrated Development Association and the French association Humanitariat Tunisie to purchase a medical oxygen generator for the hospital.

Taghouti emphasised the importance of this equipment for the hospital in improving and strengthening its services for the benefit of patients in the region.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

The Department of Veterinary Services in Elgeyo Marakwet County, by the end of September, aims to vaccinate approximately 50,000 sheep and goats against two prevalent diseases in the area: Petes-de-Petits Ruminants (PPR) and Contagious Caprine Pleura Pneumonia (CCPP).

Marakwet West Veterinary Officer, Susan Kurui, said the initiative aims to safeguard the health and livelihoods of local farmers, adding: ‘The vaccines are ready, and resources are being mobilised to swiftly initiate the vaccination drive.’

Veterinary officers, she added, have sprung into action to address the pressing issue of disease outbreaks that have led to substantial losses among farmers.

She said the vaccination will be concentrated in both Marakwet West and Marakwet East Sub-counties and emphasised the need to support farmers in mitigating potential losses.

It has been reported that farmers have already suffered significant losses, with an estimated 250 goats succumbing to suspected PPR.

A high mortality rate among young goats and lambs has been attributed to worm infestations, which weaken the animals’ immunity and leave them vulnerable to infections.

Kurui pointed out that the vulnerability of young animals underscores the importance of a comprehensive approach to animal health management.

‘Frequent de-worming is crucial, ideally every three months, to bolster the animals’ overall health,’ Kurui advised.

Moreover, she recommended a consistent schedule of cattle dipping, at least twice weekly, as an effective preventive measure against tick-borne diseases.

She advised farmers to consult veterinary officers for accurate information on animal diseases and proper husbandry practises and emphasised the importance of dispelling misinformation by seeking advice from reliable sources.

Kurui called on farmers to engage with local livestock and veterinary officers to gain a deeper understanding of best practises, for maintaining healthy animals and livestock.

Local farmers expressed appreciation for the Veterinary Department’s efforts to curb the spread of diseases that have long plagued their livestock.

‘We’ve been grappling with these diseases for a while now, and this initiative comes as a beacon for us,’ said Mr. Kiptoo.

He added that he would encourage fellow farmers to actively participate in the vaccination drive.

As the Veterinary Department races against time to administer vaccines and educate farmers, it’s clear that this comprehensive approach to animal health holds promise for enhancing the well-being of livestock and securing the livelihoods of those who depend on them.

The success of this campaign could pave the way for a more resilient and prosperous farming community in Elgeyo Marakwet County.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Government is working towards strengthening health systems and promoting local manufacturing of health products and technologies in efforts to reduce cases of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).

Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Susan Nakhumicha said that Kenya is promoting self-sufficiency and reducing the cost of providing safe and quality care and treatment by capitalising on gains made in infection prevention and control during the Covid-19 response.

Nakhumicha, speaking in Nairobi during the Regional Meeting to Review Antimicrobial Stewardship Guidelines, said that Antimicrobial resistance is a global crisis, an urgent and multifaceted challenge that demands our undivided attention.

‘Over the past century, antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents have revolutionised healthcare, saving countless lives from infectious diseases. Yet, the misuse and overuse of these life-saving drugs has triggered the rise of resistant strains of bacteria, rendering some treatments ineffective,’ explained the CS.

Nakhumicha who is the Chair of the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community, highlighted that Antimicrobial resistance threatens to reverse the hard-won gains in healthcare and presents a severe threat to sustainable development.

‘The Government of Kenya, in recognition of the threat of AMR and in line with the global call, developed a national policy and action plan for prevention and containment of antimicrobial resistance in 2017 and is currently in the final stages of reviewing version 2.0 of the National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance,’ said Nakhumicha.

The CS said that the implementation of the first phase of the national action plan has provided valuable lessons and guided the consolidated national efforts to implement sustainable measures to mitigate any further emergence and spread of AMR through a One-Health Approach.

‘As we make strides to improve equitable access to medicines including antimicrobials, quality concerns equally need to be addressed regardless of the socioeconomic status of the citizens. This includes access to diagnostics and appropriate antimicrobial treatment, we cannot leave anyone behind in this battle,’ said the CS.

Nakhumicha welcomed the delegates representing 16 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa and expressed hope that the teams led by the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) will come up with concrete strategies to fight against antimicrobial resistance.

The CS said that this being a collective responsibility requires the active participation of healthcare providers, policymakers, pharmaceutical companies, and the public.

‘We need to fully comply to standard treatment guidelines, fully implement guidelines on antimicrobial stewardship programs in health care settings, provide resources to sustain these strategies and invest in robust surveillance systems to monitor antimicrobial use and resistance patterns, enabling us to make evidence-based decisions,’ said the CS.

She added that reliable data is the bedrock upon which effective strategies are built, explaining that by leveraging on data, they can identify hotspots of resistance, track emerging threats, and assess the impact of interventions.

‘We must prioritize public awareness and education. We must engage communities, healthcare professionals, and policymakers to ensure they understand the consequences of misuse and overuse of antibiotics and the impact of AMR,’ said Nakhumicha.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Vice-Minister of the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, LEI Haichao, is visiting Tunisia from Saturday to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the dispatch of the first Chinese medical team to the country.

The visit will focus on bilateral cooperation programmes in a number of health sectors.

The Chinese official was received at Tunis-Carthage International Airport by the Minister of Health, Ali Mrabet.

Cooperation in the health sector between Tunisia and China dates back to 1973, and the programmes carried out in recent years have enabled the two countries to exchange experience in the provision of medical services and health monitoring in the interior of Tunisia.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Nyandarua County Assembly has stopped the ongoing recruitment of county health workers, citing lack of transparency.

The assembly now wants the exercise repeated, starting with re-advertisement of the positions to ensure transparency, inclusivity and confidence in the process.

County Assembly members said that the exercise has locked out already-serving contract workers who had applied for the positions.

‘The County Public Service Board (CPSB) failed to consider contract staff for positions they applied for and for which they were qualified, a move that is discriminatory and against the principles of equity, social justice and good governance.

‘Some people who had applied for the positions may no longer be interested in participating in the interviews,’ said nominated MCA Stephen Mureithi.

The members agreed that within a week, the Board should provide the assembly with all information required for qualified people to apply for the positions.

The Board members will also appear before the Committee on Public Service, Administration and Devolution on Wednesday next week for grilling on the recruitment process.

Source: Kenya News Agency

A working session held on Wednesday at the Ministry of Health headquarters followed up the completion of the King Salman bin Abdul Aziz University Hospital project in the governorate of Kairouan. During the meeting, participants discussed the solutions that have been taken to speed up the procedures required to launch the construction in the shortest possible time. The working session was chaired by the chief of staff of the minister of Health Elham Karim and attended by governor of Kairouan Mohamed Bourguiba, regional and health ministry executives. The construction of the King Salman Abdulaziz University Hospital project comes within the framework of strengthening cooperation in the health field between the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Tunisia and is a donation from the Saudi fund for development.

Source: EN – Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

The newly constructed St. Mary’s Hospital on Seychelles’ La Digue Island is expected to be fully operational, with the transfer of all existing services offered by the old Logan Hospital, by September 1.

This will be two weeks after its inauguration, planned for August 15, to coincide with the island’s feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, 17 months after construction work started and two years after the foundation stone was laid.

Dr. Conrad Shamlaye, who is supporting the Minister of Health’s office and the La Digue team in the inauguration process, told SNA on Wednesday that officials, including the Minister for Health, Peggy Vidot, visited the new hospital. A meeting was held on Tuesday to discuss the move to the new health facility.

“Services will include consultations, emergency care, family health care, oral health care, a pharmacy, clinical laboratory, and public health. Consultation with specialists from Mahe will also transfer to St. Mary’s. Discussion is ongoing regarding the organisation and scheduling of specialist clinics to increase efficiency and access to care by the La Digue and Praslin population,” explained Shamlaye.

The doctor added that the developing electronic health information system would be an important asset in ensuring efficiency and quality of services.

While emergency and urgent care will remain accessible at all times, a new approach will be adopted at St. Mary’s Hospital, whereby all routine services will be on an appointment basis. This will help to ensure more efficiency and improve the management of services, reduce waiting times for patients, and increase patient and staff satisfaction.

“The operations of the new hospital, both for in-patient and community health, will require additional clinical and support staff. The process of recruitment and deployment is already underway,” explained Shamlaye.

Shamlaye added that part of the human resource development plan of the Ministry of Health is the promotion of health careers among children and youth. “It is hoped that the inauguration of St. Mary’s and the accompanying greater engagement with the community will see a surge in enrolment in health studies.”

St. Mary’s Hospital is located close to L’Union Estate, which has a helipad, so a fully equipped ambulance will be brought to facilitate emergency transfers to the main island of Mahe.

Over the coming months, more services will be offered, including expanded diagnostic services, such as laboratory, x-ray, and ultrasound services, which will support further extension of clinical services, including those provided by visiting specialists. Rehabilitative services, such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy, and health care for the elderly will be strengthened. In the future, dialysis and some surgery will also be provided at St. Mary’s Hospital.

During her visit to La Digue earlier this week, Minister Vidot also met with community leaders to engage the community as the inauguration of St. Mary’s represents not only a new facility but also an opportunity to engage the residents of La Digue and the health team in the promotion of health, disease prevention and healthy living.

Work to construct the new modern hospital on the third most populated island of Seychelles started in March last year, seven months after the foundation stone was laid. The construction of the new La Digue hospital was funded through a donation of $4 million from the UAE government and an additional SCR 2 million ($139,000) from the La Digue Hospital Fund.

The former Logan Hospital – named after William Marston Logan – the British governor of Seychelles from 1942 to 1947, was the only medical facility offering primary health care to around 5,000 inhabitants of La Digue. For specialised treatments, residents had to travel to Praslin, the second most populated island, or the main island of Mahe.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

Three people are nursing serious injuries at Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital (NTRH) after they were attacked by a lion in the Kimugandura area of Laikipia East Sub County. The stray lion that was not immediately established from which conservancy it had come from, further killed a sheep and left another injured before residents killed it. Confirming the incident, Kenya Wildlife Service Laikipia Senior Warden Rose Malenya said the Tuesday incident was unfortunate and encouraged residents to alert authorities once they spot any stray wild animals roaming their locations to avoid attacks. ‘For lions, you can’t really predict their time because they attack very stealthily, and again, they are not as big as elephants, where you can spot them and drive them away. We always encourage communities, through their chiefs, to call us when they see wild animals in their vicinity,’ said Malenya. Ms. Malenya said that in Laikipia, wild animals roam freely, with some confined to the conservancies; however, they are keen to prevent human-wildlife conflicts. ‘Laikipia is land where wildlife roams; there are some in conservancies and others outside protected areas. So we can’t authoritatively say this lion came from a conservancy,’ pointed out Ms. Malenya. Last month, another trader was seriously injured by a lone elephant in Doldol Market, which had strayed from nearby conservancies after breaking through an electric fence. According to data on human-wildlife conflict in Laikipia County from KWS, over 130 cases have been reported since 2016. Speaking in Laikipia recently, State Department for Wildlife Principal Secretary Silvia Museiya said that the government had released about Sh5.7 billion to compensate victims of human-wildlife conflicts countrywide. To address human-wildlife conflict in Laikipia, Ms. Museiya said that the government had further allocated funds to drill boreholes for easy accessibility of water by wildlife and reduce competition for that precious commodity between humans and wildlife. Ms. Museiya added that ranchers in the area were expected to fence their private lands, aimed at ensuring wild animals do not invade residents’ farms and destroy properties.

Source: Kenya News Agency