Lodwar – 30th August 2024 (Public Communications and Media Relations)
The County Department of Health and Sanitation is set to intensify immunization services and community-based disease surveillance targeting nomadic pastoralists residing along the borders of Uganda, South Sudan, and Ethiopia.
In a four-day training supported by the CORE Group Partners Project (CGPP) through the International Rescue Committee (IRC), brought together participants from the 19-cross-border facilities and sub-county disease surveillance officers. The training aimed to enhance knowledge and improve the quality of implementation at both facility and community levels.
The training also provided an opportunity for participants to discuss and share best practices and develop interventions to reach these highly mobile populations.
The facility in-charge at Loreng Dispensary in Letea Ward, Moses Rono, said he would be coordinating with his counterpart at Lokipoto Dispensary to inform him when the three kraals move to the Lokipoto area.
“I will prepare a line list of the children currently undergoing immunisation and share it with him to minimize defaulters, so that if he provides the service, I can update the facility records,” he said.
According to the Kenya Health and Demographic Information System, Turkana County’s Fully Immunized Child coverage stood at 64.6% in 2023. However, at the borders this could be lower due to the population livelihood.
Out of the four kraals, three migrate further, but Rono is able to track their routes: Lonyuduk – Lokipoto – Nalapatui – Lomnyanapus – Letea, and back. Tracking these kraals is a collaborative effort between him, community health promoters (CHPs), and a community mobilizer. He also plans to communicate with the facility-in charges along the way.
The training emphasized on One Health approach to protect children against vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, polio, and neonatal tetanus and priority zoonotic diseases. The World Health Organization defines One Health as an integrated approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems.
The facility in-charge at Oropoi Dispensary, Moses Wafula, noted that the inclusion of community disease reporters (CDRs) will be a key part of community-based surveillance moving forward, particularly on the priority zoonotic diseases like brucellosis, anthrax among others.
“Apart from working with the CHPs and CM to get information about the six kraals, I will now involve the kraal leaders to get to know more about their populations,” he said.
The migratory routes of Oropoi’s six kraals are Natiira-Lokangae-Nanam. The inclusion of CHPs within the kraals has made it easier to provide services. Wafula highlighted their contribution during the recently concluded measles rubella (MR) 2 targeted mop-up exercise.
“The CHPs were able to mobilize the children, communicate their locations, and sometimes even on a motorbike, I was able to vaccinate a significant number of children,” he said.
The training facilitators included Rotich Kipkorir (One Health Coordinator – County Health), Dr. Job Rono (Veterinary Services Directorate), David Erus (Expanded Programme on Immunization Coordinator), Absalom Kuya (County Disease Surveillance Coordinator), and Abdi Jamal (CGPP Manager).
Participants also joined a National Ministry of Health virtual meeting on Mpox sensitization targeting high-risk counties and Points of Entry (POEs).
The training also had partner representatives from World Health Organization and IRC.
