Over 1000 people benefit from free medical camp in Kisumu

Over 1,000 people from Kaloleni Shauri Moyo and its environs benefitted from free medical services offered by Star Hospital and partner organizations.

The locals received treatment at Masjid Mosque near Kaloleni estate over the weekend.

According to the Star Hospital managing director Salma Swaleh, this was part of their social corporate responsibility noting that regular checkups are important to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Swaleh said this was the second time they were holding a medical camp and were happy that locals turned up in numbers for treatment.

"We are holding a free medical check-up to reach out to the less privileged in our neighbourhood as we identify the health challenges they face," she said.

She added that they took the opportunity to create awareness of diseases like Malaria, Typhoid, various infections, TB, and HIV among others.

"After being treated for various ailments including children, the beneficiaries were also given drugs for such ailments, " she said.

Other partners who took part in the exercise which also included environmental clean-ups and tree planting include the Kenya Red Cross and Zaira tours and the Kenya Wildlife Services, Lake Pharm and the Kisumu Muslim Association among others.

Swaleh disclosed during the medical camp that they have also embarked on a peer review program aimed at uplifting the well-being of both the girl and boy children in learning institutions in the County.

She said that the program is aimed at educating learners on the perils of early pregnancies and contracting sexually transmitted infections.

"We will be working with teenagers in a number of schools to create awareness among the learners," Swale added.

The Hospital MD noted that they have been also giving out sanitary pads to several learning institutions within Kisumu Central.

She said many girls cannot concentrate on learning during their menstrual cycle hence the need to come to their aid.

The learning institutions they have so far incorporated include   Kisumu Girls High School, Kanyamedha and Angira.

She said they have been holding educational talks with the learners to avoid early sex to tame early pregnancies.

"We have also been counselling girls who have become pregnant to have them go back to school. The most important aspect here is telling them to avoid some of the things as a way and means of preventing the pitfalls,” she said.

Kenya Red Cross chairman in Kisumu County Rashid Hussein thanked the locals for turning up in large numbers to receive the treatment.

He said this was a good gesture by bringing free medical services closer to the people, helping most who were not able to visit any facility or purchase drugs.

Beneficiaries of the medical camp lauded the initiative came at the right time.

Fatma Abdala who took her young son for treatment said she was done within an hour and given drugs for her baby's coughs.

"So many people turned up but am happy that within an hour, I was already done and went home with my son," she said.