By Alie Eleveld | Founder SWAP and Technical Advisor
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
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