On 23rd Feb 2023 I joined members of Maji Moto village in Baringo to support the work of Community Health Volunteers.
I heard stories of success from many of the residents who spoke at the meeting.
For instance, Beatrice Kiprotich encouraged fellow residents to make proper use of mosquito nets. She stated that in the past the nets have saved lives from spiders and snake bites.
Residents also raised questions in regards to the cost of cancer diagnosis. This is because cancer is one of the most common ailments affecting members of Baringo County.
Zacharia Kimaru called upon all adults to stop greeting children to avoid contaminating their hands considering that some of them bite their nails.
While they were speaking, I quickly searched on Google on the cost of cancer screening. I found out that Ultra sound costs 1,500 while mammograms costs at least Ksh. 2,000 while MRIs is the most expensive at Ksh. 23,000.
When my turn to speak came, I insisted on the importance of members of the audience having active NHIF because it covers most breast cancer screening costs.
Health experts also recommend that women engage in self-examinations on a regular basis in order to discover cancer at the early stages before it is too complex to treat.
According to the Cancer Taskforce report, NHIF does not provide comprehensive cover for cancer treatment. There is also need for government to regulate the cost of cancer care as it is the case in India.
The healthcare workers at Maji Moto dispensary revealed that it is possible to treat malignant cancers. They also urged local residents to avoid smoking, excessive alcohol and exposure to chemicals.
Call to Action
The residents of Maji Moto and Kamar locations asked for financial support from well wishers including the Baringo County government to establish a lab at the two locations in order to help them stop traveling over 50 kilometers in search for simple tests.
The blood pressure machine at Maji Moto is outdated and needs replacement for more accurate tests to be conducted.
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