Caring for Moms and Babies in Kenya

For thousands of moms and babies, the Maasai area of Kenya has just become a much safer, healthier place, thanks to the work of Community Health Partners.

This extensive medical ministry was originally planted by CMF missionaries among the Maasai people. The eight medical clinics are now run by Maasai Christian health professionals and treat tropical diseases, immunize children, and combat HIV/AIDs with testing, counseling, medical treatment, and home-based care. Community Health Partners now supplies more than 80 percent of the primary health care needs for the region.

To add to the services they provide, the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health facility at the Talek Health Centre was officially opened on March 1 to address the health challenges faced by women and infants in the Greater Maasai Mara.

The impact of the facility was quickly felt. Over its first two months, they handled 88 deliveries, including 24 cesarean sections, and several very high-risk pregnancies.

Five babies utilized the neonatal high dependency unit for a total of 107 bed nights. Four of these sick babies needed critical care CPAP support to help them breathe, for a total of 29 days.

Care in Action

At 20 years old, Nalepo (not her real name) had already given birth to six children, the first when she was only 13 years old. Two of her children died of pneumonia when only three months old. She was extremely unwell when she was referred to the facility in April.

Throughout her pregnancy, Nalepo suffered from anemia and received treatment for it, but it became so severe she was told that she needed a blood transfusion. Realizing that she was likely to lose her baby and her own life too, she learned that the new health facility at Talek was providing blood transfusion services.

She arrived at the facility with life-threateningly low hemoglobin levels. While normal hemoglobin levels are 12 and below 6.5 is life-threatening, Nalepo arrived with a hemoglobin level of 3.8. She immediately received a blood transfusion and was also found to be suffering from eclampsia, as well as high blood pressure causing her to have fits and convulsions. The team stabilized her, and she delivered a healthy baby boy on April 26. She then received further lifesaving inpatient care for her blood pressure and two additional units of blood.

John Sankok, long-time CMF partner and leader of Community Health Partners, says that stories like this demonstrate “the devastating realities that women in the Maasai Mara have been experiencing prior to the launch of this facility. We are delighted that the lives of these women are now taking a positive turn; this facility is already having a profound impact on Maasai women and children, and their wider families.”

You can also have a profound impact on women and children in this area of Kenya by giving to the Maasai Medical Clinic fund.