Comprehensive, Home-based Health, Nutrition and Support Services
Many Kenyans suffer from chronic health problems that go untreated – and often undiagnosed – because they lack access to testing and health facilities. Even the Kenyan government has trouble reaching rural areas, so officials sought support to help test and treat its at-risk population. In partnership with Abbott Fund, GBC Health members and the U.S. and Kenyan Governments, implementing partner AMPATH has reached nearly 700,000 people.
Comprehensive, Home-based Health, Nutrition and Support Services
Home-based Counseling and Testing (HCT), and immediate referral to treatment, is provided by implementing partner AMPATH’s counselors/nurses. Health workers provide diabetes testing, HIV testing, TB screening, de-worming medication, nutrition assessments, and blood pressure testing. Testing teams have been welcomed into more than 98 percent of the area’s homes, and more than 99 percent of eligible people agreed to be tested.
Comprehensive, Home-based Health, Nutrition and Support Services
AMPATH workers gather information on each person in every household, including health and demographic details and GPS location information, and they assign each individual a unique identifier. Trained health workers armed with mobile Android technology support rigorous medical record keeping, and strong follow-ups minimize drop-offs/loss. HCT is more likely to catch diabetes, HIV and other health problems early, improving treatment efficacy.
Comprehensive, Home-based Health, Nutrition and Support Services
AMPATH is providing comprehensive diabetes care services in rural areas of western Kenya where none had previously existed and now cares for more than 5,000 diabetic patients. AMPATH integrates chronic disease care into its services for some 300,000 patients who visit its clinics.
Comprehensive, Home-based Health, Nutrition and Support Services
Patient John’s story is representative of the struggle so many patients face on a daily basis. John is employed as a driver, transporting AMPATH’s life-saving supplies and the health counselors needed for providing care. His recent diagnosis of diabetes had threatened his very livelihood, as complications of diabetes were starting to prevent him from performing his job responsibilities. After just four months of care, John became symptom free, and today he is back to his regular duties as one of AMPATH’s drivers.
Comprehensive, Home-based Health, Nutrition and Support Services
AMPATH provides food support to its most vulnerable patients, nearly 30,000 each day. All new patients are screened by a nutritionist; those found to be food insecure are provided with a nutrition prescription assuring access to 100 percent of their daily nutritional requirements. Food support covers patients and all dependents “eating from the same pot.”
Comprehensive, Home-based Health, Nutrition and Support Services
AMPATH’s Family Preservation Initiative (FPI) provides programs to help patients and their families. Many patients are HIV-positive widowed mothers, unable to make a living or feed their family adequately. FPI gives assistance without encouraging dependency by offering educational income-generating programs. At the Imani Workshop, workers learn new skills and create handicrafts. All income earned through sales is reinvested in the workshop so it can continue to provide employment, skills training and other forms of empowerment.
Comprehensive, Home-based Health, Nutrition and Support Services
AMPATH also identifies orphans and vulnerable children in HCT and, where possible, enrolls them into its Orphans and Vulnerable Children program. To date, more than 20,000 children have been enrolled at seven sites offering access to education, protection, shelter, food security, psychosocial support, medical care and economic security.
Comprehensive, Home-based Health, Nutrition and Support Services