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Kenya, Personal Stories
Leading a Health Facility in Kibera Slums in Time of Crisis: Lydia’s Story
When the first case of Coronavirus was reported in Kenya, the first priority of Amref Kibera Health Centre was to set up handwashing facilities at the entrance, train health workers and Community Health Workers (CHWs) as well as check every patient’s temperature, a standard protocol to monitor symptoms of the virus. “We needed to act very fast because we are in an informal settlement serving thousands of residents and its environs,” says Lydia. Lydia is a nurse and the medical officer running the Amref Kibera Health Centre as a Facility in Charge. Her leadership is crucial especially a
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Kenya, Personal Stories
Meet Margaret Kilonzo, a Community Health Worker fighting COVID-19 in the largest slum in Africa
Community Health Workers (CHW) like Margaret Kilonzo have become the first line of defense in the fight against Coronavirus. Living in Kibera, Africa’s most densely populated slum, every day, her role is crucial as she provides lifesaving interventions to protect her community from the virus. Even as the Kenyan Government struggles to control the spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), CHWs like Margaret are playing an important role in reducing transmission at the community level through the promotion of preventive measures, saving lives. For 20 years serving as a CHW, Margaret has prev
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News
Why FGM has persisted despite a stringent law in place
The Woman Member of Parliament for Bukwo district in Uganda , Hon. Evelyn Chemutai says despite a stringent law in place some women practice FGM in a hidden manner in the Sub Counties of Riwo, Kabei, Kortek and Chepkwasta .
She however says that some women who borders West Pokot cross to Kenya and are cut from there.
She recalls that in 2018 three women were arrested and two were detailed for practicing FGM.
Historically, programs aimed at making communities abolish female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C) consisted mainly of awareness campaigns on sexual reproductive health and rights and the enforcement of newly implemented laws. These types of programs or interventions appear to be only partially effective and sometimes yield unintended results, such as actually strengthening commitment to FGM/C or transforming it into a secret practice. A newer approach to change that is intended to account for the cultural meanings ascribed to FGM/C are alternative rites of passag
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Research Papers
Legislation against girl circumcision: a cultural psychological understanding of prohibition
In Kenya, the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act was passed in 2011. This law calls for a complete ban on girl circumcision. Community policing structures are in place to help with enforcing these and other laws. Several non-governmental health organisations, Amref Health Africa being one, have committed themselves to making people abandon girl circumcision. Amref Health Africa works closely with the Kenyan government but adopts a stronger focus on building rapport and creating dialogue with and within practising communities, for example by organ
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Research Papers
Is sexual autonomy a protective factor for neonatal, child, and infant mortality? A multi-country analysis
Sexual autonomy empowers women to set boundaries, take control of their bodies, prevent sexually transmitted diseases and avoid unplanned pregnancy. A woman’s ability to negotiate safer sex is crucial for her survival and that of her child. Sexual autonomy among East African women is vital to the elimination of the deaths of neonates, infants, and children. The aim of our study was to explore the association of sexual autonomy on neonatal, infant, and child mortality.
Memiah P, Opanga Y, Bond T
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Research Papers
Underlying Sociocultural Practices Influencing Prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Kajiado County
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) often has lifelong negative consequences for a woman’s physical and mental health but is still practiced in some parts of Kenya including Kajiado County. We aimed to estimate the current prevalence as well as the socio-cultural beliefs and power relations that are in favor of or against the practice in Kajiado, Kenya.
Mbogo, B., Karanja, S., Omwaka, K., Lugayo, D. and Leshore, C. (2019) Underlying Sociocultural Practices Influencing P
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Research Papers
Willingness and Ability to Pay for Sanitation in Busia
Globally, access to improved sanitation remains a major challenge where about 2.4 billion people still lack toilets. Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are the worst affected where about 800 million people still practice open defecation with remarkable negative health and economic effects. Diarrhoea due to poor sanitation kills more children than HIV and measles together. This study was designed to determine the willingness and ability to pay for safe sanitation by households in Busia County. A cross sectional survey was conducted on 784 households using contingent valuat
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