A 90% Thumb's Up

For me, there has never been a more beautiful sentence than the one written by clinicians Jared Mukhola and Jeffrey Simon: "90% of children attending Hamomi Children's Centre are medically fit."

But wait, it goes on: "Nutritional status is excellent, height and weight is good. No child was identified with malnutrition, which is usually very common among under-fives. A number of children seem to have normal seasonal medical problems which are observed daily in normal days of life."

That is not to say everything is perfect. 20 students needed to be referred for dental issues, eye care needs, skin 

conditions and nose bleeds. Care which 
we need to find an affordable option for.

We need to do a better job making sure that kids under five all get their immunizations, we need to ensure that everybody over five receives tetanus shots when necessary, we need to have more health and hygiene workshops. 

Five years ago, we offered nothing. Today we offer an annual check-up, breakfast and lunch six days a week, voluntary counseling and testing workshops on HIV/AIDS, hosting of open dialogue and discussion workshops on a wide range of health topics, access to clean water, a hand-washing station and reusable pads for the girls of age. But we still don't offer so many things.

We will one day, but all we can do is add services here and there as funds allow. That can feel slow and frustrating, but it also leads to sturdy, reliable change. It leads to reports like these that I know aren't a fluke, but are actual reflections of change.

It's all more complicated than a sweeping 90% thumbs up. But for now, for today, for this small moment, I'll take it and be absolutely thrilled.

More Medical-Related Links:

An overall run-down of our Medical Program after our most recent audit in May, 2012, walking through the frustrations and difficulties trying to get even the simplest of free services. 
Read more.

We are already meeting our goals for more hygiene workshops, check out a recent visit from the Dettol mascot...we think he's supposed to be a bar of soap, but really it's really anybody's guess.

Read about an interesting workshop from August on Road Safety. May seem like a strange topic, but it is a very real concern that I feel better knowing we are addressing. 
Read more.

May we not get ahead of ourselves and forget just how complicated this all is, especially after the recent loss of our most beloved matron, Janet Kimuli, who died after giving birth prematurely. Preventable horrors are happening around our staff and students every day. We can't forget that, and we can't let that 90% take our focus away from how much work ahead of us.

-Susie