Kakuma – March 21, 2025 (Public Communications and Media Relations)
The County Government in collaboration with Malteser International held a WHO’s Basic Emergency Care (BEC) Course aimed at strengthening the capacity of frontline emergency healthcare providers in Turkana County.
The completed five-day training targeted 25 first-contact patient management providers including doctors, clinical officers, nurses, mid-wives, and ambulance staff from Level 3B, 4 and 5 Hospitals. These include Lodwar County Referral Hospital, Kakuma Sub-County Hospital, Kakuma Mission Hospital, and Kenya Red Cross Society, International Rescue Committee, and AIC Health Ministries-supported facilities.
The training focussed on building competencies in the systematic assessment and management of emergency conditions, including trauma, breathing difficulties, shock, and altered mental status within resource-constrained settings. Overall, the training equipped them with standardized, practical skills for early recognition, rapid assessment, and life-saving interventions.
According to John Ng’asike, Medical Officer of Health (MOH) in Turkana West, this partnership reflects a shared commitment to building a resilient health system capable of managing time-sensitive conditions such as trauma, shock, respiratory distress, and altered mental status.
“A prepared health system saves lives. Strengthening emergency care from the community to the hospital, is one of the most effective ways to reduce preventable deaths in Turkana,” he said.
The WHO BEC Course also aims to improve patient outcomes through early recognition and intervention for various conditions.
The expected outcomes are enhanced clinical competencies of healthcare providers, strengthened emergency referral systems and coordination, improved quality and timeliness of care, and ultimately reduced preventable deaths and complications.
Out of the 25 healthcare workers, 10 have been selected to proceed further as Trainers of Trainers (ToT) to cascade the skills further. The two-day TOTs training will give them the BEC Provisional Trainer status with lecturing experience facilitating case scenarios and simulation skills.
