Elizabeth Katilo, a 26 year old mother from Viwandani slums only got to hold her son for a few hours. She was expecting to deliver him on December of 2014. However, on the 25th of October, the unexpected occurred. After having her supper, she started experiencing sharp pains. Unbeknown to her, she was going into labor.
Her Community Health Worker, Teresia Nditi came to her aid. However, by the time she got there, Elizabeth had already delivered. “The baby was underweight, he only weighed 1.4 kgs” Teresia recounted. They did all they could to try and save him. He didn’t make it.
Unfortunately, such stories have become common in urban informal settlement. But it doesn’t have to be that way. APHRC, through the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health project (PAMANECH) is working to change this narrative. So far, the project has:
- Upgraded 5 health facilities in Viwandani and Korogocho slums
- Equipped the health facilities with basic obstetric and diagnostic equipment
- Provided two ambulances to serve the communities in case of obstetric and child emergencies
- Supported youth groups within the 2 slum communities with funds to start up incoming generating projects. These youth groups in turn provide security to women who go into labor at night in areas where the ambulance cannot reach and escort them to the nearest upgraded maternity center.
- Built the capacity of health workers on various essential health care packages including, Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (EmONC), Infection Prevention Control (IPC), Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) and Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT).
How can you get involved?
- With $100,000, we can upgrade another maternity health facility in Viwandani slum and equip it so that more lives of our mothers and their infants can be saved. Your donation, however little, will go a long way in creating a lasting impact for mothers, newborns and young children.
- With $815, you can support youth groups – who escort laboring mother’s to health facilities at night – to start up income generating projects.
- With $55 a month, you can facilitate one Community Health Worker to continue supporting our mothers and children by visiting them, identifying their needs and referring them for care.
OTHER CAUSES
SUPPORT OUR FREE MEDICAL CAMPS
Most families in the urban informal settlements can barely manage to feed themselves, let alone have the money to afford healthcare and medicines.
VIEW
JUBILEE EDUCATION FUND
Education is a right, not a privilege. Sadly, these words don’t ring true to everyone.
VIEW
HELP US SAVE OUR MOTHERS AND INFANTS
Following a first successful IAGG Africa Region conference in Cape Town in 2012, we are delighted to announce the second conference, which will take place 6-8 December, 2016, in Nairobi, Kenya.
VIEW
DATA, MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION
The focus areas for this Unit are twofold. The first is to enhance and promote data discoverability, visualization, and responsible data sharing.
VIEW
COVID19 @ APHRC
As one of the continent’s premier research institutions and think tanks exploring questions of population health and wellbeing, we are keen to understand the disease and recommend immediate and long-term policy decisions.
VIEW