MSF Kenya Activities Update

Audio Slideshow: MSF activities in Western Kenya. © Brendan Bannon

MSF teams in Kenya are responding to the needs ensuing from the violence of recent weeks. In Nairobi, where MSF has provided care for people living with HIV/AIDS in the slums for over ten years, medical teams have set up extra clinics and first aid posts in order to assist the wounded. MSF teams in Busia and Homa Bay are continuing to provide HIV/AIDS care and are assisting displaced people.

In other parts of western Kenya,
emergency teams that arrived in the
country to help deal with the increased needs, are assisting thousands of displaced people and supporting health facilities which have seen their activities disrupted. Priorities are to continue addressing the consequences of the violence on the most vulnerable displaced people and to guarantee access to health care for resident communities and for people who are caught up in the violence.

First aid posts that MSF set up in Kibera and Mathare slums to treat victims of violence are still open, although the number of patients medical teams are treating has decreased substantially in recent days.

MSF teams are visiting Jamhuri Park, where around 380 displaced families are thought to be living, twice a week to provide anti-retroviral therapy for people living with HIV/AIDS and perform medical consultations. Assessments have been done in Kikuyu Town, Zambezi, Limuru, Ruiru, Juja and Thika. MSF will continue to monitor the situation, particularly with regard to displaced people living with HIV and TB and the levels of care and assistance they are receiving.

Western Kenya

• Nakuru – 900 medical consultations were carried out in Nakuru stadium between 8 and 12 February. On 11 February MSF started providing therapeutic and supplementary food to malnourished children in the stadium and is vaccinating children under five against measles and polio.
  
  
• Naivasha – On 8 February MSF handed over its activities in Naivasha to other organisations. MSF staff will continue to monitor the situation and respond if necessary.
  
  
• Kitale – MSF teams continue to work in three large camps around Kitale – Cherangani, Endebess and Kitale Showground. In Endebess, MSF is providing a full package of care. A health post was opened in the camp on 9 February and MSF teams are also responsible for health promotion; hygiene and water sanitation – providing showers, latrines and clean water; and mental health counselling. Non-food item kits have been distributed to 1720 families. In the Showground MSF is focusing on providing rain proof shelter. Teams also visit eight smaller camps around Kitale, providing water sanitation, shelter and healthcare where needed.
  
  
• Eldoret – MSF teams arrived in Eldoret and provided assistance to displaced people in 12 sites in Eldoret town and surrounding villages, including Burnt Forest, Turbo and Napkoy. As more agencies arrived MSF handed over its activities on 21 January, but a team returned on 2 February and is reassessing the needs.
  
• Kericho district – a three person surgical team started supporting Kericho hospital on 8 February. After setting up a triage and emergency room, the MSF team treated 20 patients between 8 and 11 February. Seven of these patients required surgery. Four of them were direct victims of violence.
  
  
  
  Mobile teams continue to visit several locations in western Kenya, specifically rural areas where MSF has identified pockets of displaced or isolated people living with little or no assistance. In some of these areas, violence is ongoing.
  
  
  
• Mount Elgon – mobile clinics continue throughout the area. Tension remains high, although the situation has calmed down in the last few days. The week beginning 4 February, the MSF team treated 943 patients, 23 of whom were related to clashes between different ethnic groups.
  
  
• Molo and Kuresoi districts: MSF mobile teams visit numerous sites where small groups of IDPs are gathered. From 8 to 12 February, teams provided almost 2,000 medical consultations and vaccinated 287 children against measles and polio. Nutritional screenings were carried out and MSF started providing nutritional assistance to malnourished children on 11 February. Distribution of non-food items such as blankets, mosquito nets and soap is ongoing.
  
  
• Kisii district: non-food items are being distributed and donations of medical materials have been made to Kisii hospital.
  
  
• Londiani and Kipkelion districts: mobile teams continue to visit seven sites around the districts. 1,200 children under five have been vaccinated against measles and polio and the MSF teams are monitoring the nutritional situation closely. The situation is very fluid. Montaragon camp, where up to 3,000 displaced people had been living, is now almost empty.
  
  
• Narok district: a logistical team visited various sites on 12 January and improved the water supply in one of the sites.
  
  
• Assessments will be done in Molut, Nyahururu, Baringo and Laikipia in the coming days

Long-running projects in Busia, Homa Bay and Kacheliba continue as normal.

MSF has been coordinating activities with the Ministry of Health and the Kenyan Red Cross.

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