Community Volunteer Training
We have a wonderful group of volunteers who are incredibly enthusiastic to work with us and their community, helping promote simple changes that can be made in family homes to improve overall health. Today we have finished training and they are ready to start visiting the community.
What problems are the community facing?
One of the fundamental goals of Health Amplifier is to promote good health as a whole. As well as providing accessible and affordable healthcare, this also encompasses thinking about why patients are ill in the first place.
Many of our patients are attending the clinic with problems that stem from poor sanitation, unclean drinking water, lack of a nutritious diet and disease complications such as malaria. By making simple changes such as boiling drinking water, understanding the importance of good hygiene, having access to a toilet, eating fruit and vegetables and using a malaria net at night overall health can be dramatically improved.
Why Health Activists?
Since these changes involve fairly sensitive issues, we have worked with the community to choose a group of people that they trust, and have elected to be their Health Activists. We believe it is important to involve the community and encourage each other to make these behavioural changes, as this way they will be more sustainable and long lasting.
Not only are they then trusted and welcome in the community, they are also improving their own lifestyles and acting as role models among their peers.
Dr Sofia and Dr Temu demonstrating the correct technique of brushing teeth
How will the programme work?
Our Activists will carry out household visits every week, educating families on the complications that can arise from poor sanitation and a lack of disease prevention. The families have the opportunity to try to improve 10 areas, with the support of their Health Activists. Once the families achieve this they will be given a Patient Passport which allows them and their household to receive free healthcare at our Kikavu clinic.
What areas have our Health Activists been trained in?
We have worked closely with the Ministry of Health to educate and cover all issues that the community of Kikavu suffer from in such a rural setting. These issues include poor sanitation and hygiene, nutrition, breast feeding, malaria prevention, dental hygiene and diabetes complications.
Our Health Activists will advice and educate where it is ok to do so, and also know when and why to direct a patient to the clinic for medical treatment.
We look forward to updating you on the progress our amazing volunteers have in the community!
Our excellent and excited Health Activists following their training