Help protect 1000 health workers in Western Kenya

Introduction

Safe Water and AIDS Project (SWAP) has been operating in Western Kenya since 2005 with public health programs, research and emergency response. SWAP's mission is to provide innovative solutions for improved health and economic status of communities.

SWAP has a wealth of experience in public health interventions and has worked in collaboration with County Health Management Teams to respond to COVID-19 especially with focus on health care facilities supporting and protecting the frontline work force and the community at large from COVID-19 spread.

For that reason, the GlobalGiving platform was used to source for crowd funding from donors and well-wishers in our effort to protect health workers, reduce the COVID-19 spread and mitigate the impact.

COVID-19 Current Status in Kisumu

In this region we experienced a fifth wave now mostly with the new variant Omicron. The people who get very sick and need hospitalized are mostly those unvaccinated. The new variant is also spreading very fast. This triggered the need to accelerate vaccination. The County Department of Health reached out to partners to support COVID-19 vaccination outreaches. There has been increased supply of donations of vaccines in the country and this has now also allowed people to get vaccinated including getting boosters. However, there is still a problem with many being hesitant to visit the assigned health facilities were vaccination is done. For others they lack transport or are too vulnerable to visit those sites. At the same time the most vulnerable are at higher risk and need to be protected.

Strategy to accelerate vaccination

In collaboration with partner organizations and the County Department of Health SWAP came up with targeting the most vulnerable and hard to reach communities to ensure they get vaccinated. These are the physical disabled, street families, people from informal settlements, families affected by flood, elder community members and others from low income or remote areas.

Vaccination outreaches

Following successful vaccination outreaches targeting the old, physical challenged and street families in December and January 2022, SWAP embarked on a mission to continue support Kisumu County Department of Health with vaccination outreaches in all sub counties of Kisumu targeting low income areas in informal settlements, elder community members in hard to reach areas and people visiting markets. The aim was to get more people vaccinated so that there will be less strain on the health sector. We also combined sports event where we pitched tent with vaccination outreaches especially during football tournaments which is pulling large crowds.

A table with a summary of outreaches facilitated and the locations and numbers reached is provided in the report with images. SWAP facilitated the vaccination teams and date clerks to ensure all was entered in the Ministry of Health portal. Community health volunteers were engaged to do social mobilization to ensure that people are aware and attend the outreaches. In total since December 2021 until the end of April 2022 4058 individuals were vaccinated.

Data entry support

Due to many vaccination outreaches organized by the Kisumu County Health Department they realized a back log of data entry in the Ministry of Health portal. This meant that people got their Covid-19 vaccinations but could not show evidence which was to be shared through their phone.

SWAP took the initiative to invite a team of data entry clerks at the office and work on daily targets of data entry under the supervision of our data management team. In total 7600 entries were made and the back log was cleared.

Stakeholders engagement

SWAP was invited at a COVID-19 stakeholders’ engagement meeting to share its best practices of reaching the most vulnerable and marginalized communities through its strategy of vaccination outreaches. The Kisumu County Health Department appreciated our efforts and encouraged other partners to borrow this idea in order to increase access to COVID 19 vaccination uptake.

Cancer screening support

Gari Dispensary in Nyakach Sub County in collaboration with partners organized a free cancer screening at their Dispensary. They reached out for support to enable them to comply with COVID-19 rules and regulations and requested for hand washing stations, soap, alcohol based hand rub and chlorine solution. SWAP was able to donate the above mentioned supplies to them which were used during the cancer screening days and later remained at the Dispensary which is in remote and rural area serving hard to reach and vulnerable communities.

Distribution of Alcohol Based Hand Rub and hand washing stations at health care facilities.

SWAP continued reaching out to 47 public health care facilities in Nyando and Nyakach sub counties on monthly basis to ensure they can practice proper hand hygiene to protect the health workers and patients. Hand washing stations were installed and soaps provided. Monitoring of proper use continued by health care workers and patients visiting the facility. The hand washing stations are placed in most of the patient care areas as well as at the entrance and close to the toilets. Alcohol based hand rub and soap was replenished.

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT AND DONATIONS

• Global Giving Report May 2022 with images (PDF)
  

GLOBAL GIVING REPORT

JANUARY 2022

Help protect 1,000 health workers in Western Kenya

Introduction

Safe Water and AIDS Project (SWAP) has been operating in Western Kenya since 2005 with public health programs, research and emergency response. SWAP's mission is to provide innovative solutions for improved health and economic status of communities.

SWAP has a wealth of experience in public health interventions and has worked in collaboration with County Health Management Teams to respond to COVID-19 especially with focus on health care facilities supporting and protecting the frontline work force and the community at large from COVID-19 spread.

For that reason, the GlobalGiving platform was used to source for crowd funding from donors and well-wishers in our effort to protect health workers, reduce the COVID-19 spread and mitigate the impact.

COVID-19 Current Status in Kisumu

In this region we experienced a fifth wave now mostly with the new variant Omicron. The people who get very sick and need hospitalized are mostly those unvaccinated. The new variant is also spreading very fast. This triggered the need to accelerate vaccination. The County Department of Health reached out to partners to support COVID-19 vaccination outreaches. There has been increased supply of donations of vaccines in the country and this has now also allowed people to get vaccinated including getting boosters. However, there is still a problem with many being hesitant to visit the assigned health facilities were vaccination is done. For others they lack transport or are too vulnerable to visit those sites. At the same time the most vulnerable are at higher risk and need to be protected.

Strategy to accelerate vaccination

In collaboration with partner organizations and the County Department of Health SWAP came up with targeting the most vulnerable and hard to reach communities to ensure they get vaccinated. These are the physical disabled, street families, people from informal settlements, families affected by flood, elder community members and others from low income or remote areas.

Vaccination drive in Ombaka, Nyando Sub County

Ombaka is an area which is prone to flooding which has displaced several families. Most have lost their crops and livelihood and others had their homes destroyed and are living in tents. SWAP has been intervening preventing disease outbreaks by providing food and non-food items. The local chief reached out to SWAP requesting for a COVID-19 vaccination outreach to protect his community members.

SWAP organized two COVID 19 vaccination outreaches on the 3^rd of December 2021 and 12^th of January 2022 to ensure that the community members could get first dose and second dose. There was very good mobilization done and good attendance. Nyando Sub County Department of Health sent two vaccination teams consisting of vaccinators and data clerks who did real time entry in the MOH portal for vaccinations. Vaccination was done under the trees. During the first outreach 470 people were reached and during the second 312 got vaccinated.

COVID-19 vaccination for physical handicapped and street families

On the 15^th of December 2021 SWAP joined hands with other stakeholders during a COVID-19 vaccination outreach for physical handicapped and street families at CITAM Church in Kisumu County. Transport was arranged for the physical handicapped to be ferried to and from the vaccination site. Other partners donated milk, biscuits, sanitary pads and reusable face masks. In total 132 people living with disability and 189 street family members above 18 years were vaccinated. A total of 321. A follow up of the same will be done on the 2^nd of March 2022. The exercise was really appreciated because most of these families are left out when it comes to such health campaigns.

A similar exercise was repeated now in Nyando Sub County and spread out over 3 days to get enough coverage. The exercise was done on the 18^th, 19^th and 20^th of January 2022 and also opened up for the general public. Every day two vaccination teams gathered at designated places easy accessible by the public. Prior mobilization was done by community health volunteers informing the public about the vaccination days and venue. During the 3 days we managed to get 909 people vaccinated.

Moving forward SWAP has committed to do one COVID-19 vaccination outreach per week for all the 7 Sub Counties in Kisumu mostly targeting vulnerable low income community members. We aim to reach people where they are for example pitching tent at market places to get crowds. This has been a very successful approach and much appreciated by the County Department of Health and the communities. After getting more people vaccinated there will be less strain on the health sector.

Distribution of Hand Washing Stations and soap to Health Care Facilities

SWAP continued reaching out to 47 public health care facilities in Nyando and Nyakach sub counties on monthly basis to ensure they can practice proper hand hygiene to protect the health workers and patients. Hand washing stations were installed and soaps provided. Monitoring of proper use continued by health care workers and patients visiting the facility. The hand washing stations are placed in most of the patient care areas as well as at the entrance and close to the toilets.

Alcohol Based Hand Rub (ABHR) production and distribution

The objective was to improve hand hygiene and to produce, distribute and monitor consumption of Alcohol Based Hand Rub at public health care facilities. Technical support was provided for the production which was done at the Water Lab with appropriate safety measures, capacity building and quality control measures. SWAP received approval from the Kenya Bureau of Standards in November 2020 and started monthly distribution in January 2021 to 47 health care facilities and later 34 hot spot areas in Nyando and Nyakach Sub Counties. The 47 health facilities are in rural Kenya and often lack sufficient water. Some are only relying on rain water, but during the dry season do not have any reliable source. So Alcohol Based Hand Rub is ideal for the health workers to protect themselves when handling patients.

We evaluated ABHR usage and developed a monitoring system and electronic database for ABHR consumption/use by service point with built-in feedback to production unit to produce and redistribute ABHR when stocks are low, development of localized estimates for monthly/yearly stocks needed by size of facility to aid future projections for consumption. The distribution was free but for sustainability SWAP included ABHR in the basket of products and sold to partner organizations and individuals. In 2021 3845 liters of Alcohol Based Hand Rub was produced in the lab.

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT AND DONATIONS

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• Global Giving Report January 2022 with images (DOCX)