Turkana North/ Loima – November 15, 2025 (Public Communications and Media Relations)
The County Government, through the Department of Health and Sanitation, in partnership with Turkana Christian Development Mission (TCDM), is nearing the conclusion of the three-year ACCEPT project supported by Save the Children. As the initiative enters its exit phase, a joint team is traversing Loima and Turkana North to document the real transformation occurring at both health facility and household levels.
The ACCEPT project— Accelerating Access and Availability of Enhanced Lifesaving, Prevention and Treatment Services for childhood illnesses and malnutrition—was launched to address persistent challenges such as delayed malnutrition detection, low treatment coverage, and weak community–facility linkages. Today, the Family Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) model stands out as one of its most impactful components.
Family MUAC places power directly in the hands of mothers and caregivers by equipping them with the skills and tools to screen their children for acute malnutrition at home.
Ordinarily, parents must visit health facilities or attend outreach services for screening, while other times Community Health Promoters (CHPs) carry out household assessments. However, in cases of acute diarrhea—a common ailment in these regions—immediate home-based action can save lives.
“Before this training, we waited for outreach days. Now I check my children every week, and I have been doing this consistently,” says Leah Acharait, a mother from Lokoyo, Loima. “If I notice the measurements fall in the red mark, I know my baby is in danger and rush him to the hospital.”
Community health workers report that timely detection has significantly improved referrals and cure rates.
Sandra Awechukul, the CHP for Lochwa Village in Lokoyo, Loima Sub-County, shared, “I oversee 52 households, and thanks to this project and the guidance we receive from our CHA, I have learned how to detect and refer malnutrition cases for children under five. Malaria cases have also reduced now that we can detect and treat cases within households.”
“We have witnessed fewer severe cases because caregivers nowadays act quickly,” notes Phanice Atee, a CHA from Lokoyo Dispensary.
Dalmus Kalayo, a CHA from Naduat Health Centre in Turkana North, echoes this, saying, “Our CHPs are leading from the front, encouraging families to take action. None of our CHPs’ children have malnutrition, and they are actively involving communities.”
According to Justus Iperit, a Nutritionist from Loima Sub-County, “There is a significant difference due to the impact Family MUAC has had in communities. This has led to increased referrals, admissions, and recovery rates.”
County officials emphasize that the approach has reshaped community health by putting families at the center of problem-solving.
“Family MUAC has strengthened early detection at the household level—this is real community empowerment. It is encouraging to see our mothers taking the lead in safeguarding their children’s health. We are here to ensure they understand what is required of them to ensure continuity,” says Calis Elamach, Deputy Director of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Save the Children echoed this impact. “When caregivers are empowered, children survive. Family MUAC has shown us that simple knowledge in the hands of a mother can save a life,” said Dominic Ekal, Health and Nutrition Officer at Save the Children.
So far, trained caregivers have screened 12,007 children, identifying 455 Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) cases, 2,550 Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) cases, and 9,002 normal cases—signaling major progress in combating malnutrition.
Martin Imoni, Health and Nutrition Officer at TCDM, shared that he believes the strong community ownership of the project and their adaptability will ensure that Family MUAC outlives the project.
Story by: Esther Mwangi, Assistant Director – Public Communication and Media Relations
