Category: HEALTH

National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) in Murang’a County has asked Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Murang’a to come up with strategies to fight corruption.

The Commission’s Chairperson, Dr. Joyce Mutinda, speaking during a consultative meeting with Murang’a County government officials at the County boardroom, Wednesday, said the Commission will ensure that PWDs are given their rightful role to come up with strategies to fight corruption.

“We have noticed as a Commission that when we talk about matters of corruption, we are just dealing with every other person besides persons with disabilities,” said Mutinda, adding that moving forward they would want inclusivity when it comes to matters of fighting corruption.

According to Mutinda, persons with disabilities include people who have long-term physical, sensory, mental, or intellectual impairments, which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

Mutinda further said that as a Commission they have observed that PWDs are either victims of corruption or the perpetrators of corruption and hence need to be informed of their role in fighting corruption.

“The Commission will carry out a participation forum in Murang’a where especially persons with disabilities will be sensitized and informed on their role in fighting corruption,” she said

The Chair divulged that NGEC not only advocates for the rights of persons with disabilities but also other special interest groups, including women, children, youth, older members of society, minorities, and marginalized groups.

Mutinda added that the Commission also discussed other issues that are of concern with regard to special interest groups in Murang’a and are hopeful that the county government will address the raised issues

“NGEC promotes gender equality and freedom from all forms of discrimination in Kenya, especially for special interest groups through ensuring compliance with policies, laws, and practice,” she said.

Meanwhile, Mutinda further stated that the Commission offers free services on matters regarding Legislation Bills and County Policies, to ensure that the policies are not discriminatory and they are inclusive.

“The County Executive Committee can use the model policies provided for NGEC to guide them when they are coming up with county policies, regulations, and guidelines,” she said, adding that the policies should be

Murang’a Deputy Governor, Stephen Mburu, speaking on behalf of Governor, Dr. Irungu Kang’ata, said that the County is committed to fighting corruption and also promoting gender equality, especially for special interest groups through ensuring compliance with policies, laws, and practices.

“Our Administration is committed to ensuring that we are compliant within our policy regulations and circles of service and that we do not have barriers that hinder access and inclusivity of opportunities to our people,” he said.

Mburu said that it is the role of the county government and other related stakeholders, to come up with strategies to fight corruption.

The NGEC visited the County with partners from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), who they have partnered to deal with matters of fighting corruption

“We want to thank EACC since they are going to be the wealth of information they are going to rely on to be able to offer insight on how to fight corruption in our service delivery.” said the Deputy Governor.

The Rotary District 9212 will be hosting the 41st Rotary Sunshine Rally(RSR) this year across the country in February and March. The Rotary Sunshine Rally is an annual event organized by clubs in Rotary district 9212 and traditionally held at the Jamhuri Show Grounds in Nairobi. It was started in 1979 by Manu Chandaria and the Rotary club of Nairobi before being taken up by other Rotary clubs and the rotary district.
The rally has brought together thousands of children with disabilities from different schools and homes over the years for a day of fun, games and entertainment .

The 41st Rotary Sunshine rally will be held in 3 regions and hopes to reach over 7000 kids. The regions are the Western/Rift region, Nairobi region and Mt Kenya region. RSR dates will be 25th February in Kisii, 4th March at Jamhuri Show grounds and 18th March at Kirinyaga University for the three regions respectively.

The RSR chair, Ms Saum Siraj during the official launch of the 41st RSR on the 3rd of December 2022 stressed on the need to have inclusivity for persons with disabilities(PWD) at all times rather than only thinking about them during theInternational Day of Persons with disabilities. The rally is a fun day that seeks to create awareness, promote support as well as celebrate the resilience of PWD in Kenya.

To successfully actualize the RSR, all are invited to make donations in kind or money by giving either foodstuffs or transportation towards the rally. Needed foodstuffs include water,milk, bread, chapati flour and oil, buses and gifts appropriate for kids with disabilities. Entertainers are also invited to be part of the funday as well as media to give coverage of the day and help in spreading the news about it. Family and friends of Rotary as well as other involved stakeholders are all encouraged to attend and share in the joy that is in giving.

The sight of Relief a Non-Profitable Organization, established in the years 2014 in Kenya to advocate for the rights, health, and socio-economic challenges faced by Children and Women with Disabilities (CWD) in Kenya.

Organisation’s Mandate, Mission and Vision

The sight of Relief’s mandate is set to advocate for better health services by enhancing the implementation of affordable and accessible therapy services, psychosocial support for gender-based violence survivors, and capacity-building for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and their families to mitigate socio-economic challenges.

Furthermore, the organization is dedicated to ensuring the betterment of the physical, mental and socioeconomic status of persons with disabilities with sustainable solutions.

The organization is visioned to be a Referral point with measurable community transformation through social
inclusion and economic transformation for PWDs and their families according to the Managing Director, Benson Isaboke Matoke.

The introduction of Inua Mama’s Kitty is a Socio-economic Welfare Transformation Program (SWTP) geared toward attaining a sustainable livelihood in the household of women and children with disabilities.

The current generation feels that developmental disabilities are the most minor understood conditions that affect individuals from childhood during pregnancy, at delivery, or after delivery, hence are often out of sight, out of mind, and out of planning options in the communities around the World.

Through Sight of Relief findings, these disability conditions come with compounded extra costs as compared to other children without disabilities. Persons with developmental disabilities require 24-hour (regular) special care that involves; diaper usage, daily anticonvulsant medicine usage, a normal special diet, and weekly therapy services lifelong. However, Sight of Relief Organization cited the needed change anchored on the Community Based Rehabilitation Matrix (CBR) to their new program dubbed “Inua Mama’s Kitty” initiative to demonstrate and implement change from “Donations Oriented (D.O)” to “Active Participatory Industrial Production (APIP)”. which the organization claims that it will ensure the future of Persons with Developmental Disabilities especially women and children with disabilities and their families have equal rights to access to services and opportunities as anyone else in society.

Inua Mama’s Kitty Objectives

The Kitty has set various objectives to help it deliver its mandate and promote the group;

1. Advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities and eradicate gender-based violence towards women with disabilities.

2. Implement Physical and Mental wellness of persons with disabilities and their families.

3. Promote Technology and Innovation to enhance Universal Healthcare for affordable and accessible rehabilitation services and assistive devices.

4. Empower persons with disabilities in socioeconomic capacity-building programs to earn them an independent and sustainable livelihood in the community.

Inua Mama’s Kitty Pillars

The kitty heavily depends on advocacy and communication as Isaboke says that they heavily advocate for inclusion as a sole pillar.

”We advocate for inclusion as a sole pillar of change from negative the prospect of disability by the observance of human rights as the cardinal principle that must be observed and enjoyed by everyone. Our Advocacy enhances awareness creation and psychosocial support to promote a better understanding of disability matters in families
and the community for better lives and livelihood.”

Secondly, the organization is driven by therapy services and psychosocial support which Matoke insists is the most needed service to the realization of children’s status of mobility by restoring their abilities to stand, walk, and speak to enhance physical and sensory development. The Managing director said that the group undergoes a lot of hardships leading to depression.

“Quite a several persons with disabilities and caregivers undergo hardships in life, leading them to depression status. Psychosocial Support is the only professional approach applied to reverse the mental status of the affected members. These services will be deployed close to home states for quick access and in case recommend referrals for more professional care and corrective surgeries when the need arises beyond the center management.”

Mr. Isaboke said that People with disabilities need capacity building stating that through this action they will improve and develop a wider scope of continuous sustainable livelihood activities promoting equity and self-reliance.

“Bringing up a child with a disability as a single mother or a person with a disability residing in slums comes with inadequate resources, limited psycho-social support, and poverty, which enhances fatigue, distress, and isolation. Capacity building persons with disabilities and caregivers will improve a wider scope of continuous and sustainable livelihood activities which includes (Self- employment or Self Help Group employment or Micro-entrepreneurship and other forms of income generation programs (IGPs).”

Continuously Mr. Isaboke urged to improve and add more talent nurturing stating that through this act they will be able to maximize talent as a source of income to better their livelihood.

“Identification of talent and development of children with disabilities is our solid agenda that we have given a lot of attention to building their future which is a natural wealth for income generation. It has been identified that people
with disabilities have acquired unique talent that has not been exploited. We will maximize talent as a source of income generation to better the livelihood of children and adults with disabilities.”

Finally, the MD urges the similia groups to form partnerships by embracing the Partnership in Advocacy & Communication (Dubbed -DuNo), which is an Advocacy ideology that focuses on the conventional rights of
Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and sustainable development goals(SDGs).

“Our community has not been impressed with persons with disabilities due to a lack of knowledge and understanding that have greatly influenced discrimination and isolation of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs.) Data and Resource Distribution which is an integral component of decision-making to determine resource distribution for service delivery to citizens.”

Isaboke who is also a person with a disability confirms that the majority lack information due to a lack of data.

“Persons with disabilities lack essential services due to inconsistent data that seems to conflict with the accuracy of the true numbers registered in Kenya. Our constitution enshrines lots of gains towards persons with disabilities, which are also amplified in conventional rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) with well-documented guidelines that champion persons with disabilities inclusion and sustainable development goals (SDGs).” Benson Isaboke says.

Education on sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) towards persons with disabilities in reporting channels and HIV/AIDS Counseling have fallen victim to SGBV by being taken advantage of the weak point of their disability. Women and girls with disabilities experience unique forms of violence, including when perpetrators withhold medications or assistive devices or decline to assist with tasks of daily living.

Many persons with disabilities may also lack access to sexuality aids education, which might otherwise help them to identify and prevent abuse, and face increased barriers to access justice and report violence, leading to impunity for perpetrators. Women with disabilities are more likely to experience poverty and isolation due to economic violence and financial barriers that affect their access to financial services.

Mr. Isaboke on behalf of the organization has called the well-wishers to partner to share the light for the group.

“We call upon your Partnership with us to make our county better through the “DuNo” concept to enhance awareness creation and psychosocial support to promote a better understanding of disability matters in families and the community for better lives and livelihood.”

The organization checked in the groundbreaking for the new Construction and equipping of a community rehabilitation center for therapy services at Makadara on donated land by Nairobi City County to ease therapy services challenges, Construction and equipping of a rescue center for women with disability survivors of gender-based violence.

The center has called on the sponsoring of the activities to create a conducive environment for children with disabilities.

“Therapy subscription sponsorship, we call upon your partnership to sponsoring children with disabilities to access therapy services which are very expensive for parents to manage and sustain as per the required standards for better physical development.” Isaboke states.

Finally, the forum has requested at all times well-wishers to always never get tired to help and stretch their hands towards assisting the group on daily upkeeps which is always a life changer creating dignity for persons with disability.

“A diaper and anticonvulsant medicine is a life changer and dignity to persons with disability social welfare. Due to the unaffordability of diapers, persons with disabilities end up on ragged clothes and nylon garments to sustain their control of nature which adversely causes them harmful infections. Anticonvulsant medicines are very expensive to purchase and limited in the market for persons with disability consumption to see the next day. Unfortunately, we have lost a number of children from severe convulsions caused by a lack of anticonvulsant medicines due to their affordability and availability. Your partnership to support us through the donation of diapers and sponsorship for anticonvulsant medicine prescriptions will salvage the lives of persons with disabilities to live a dignified and long life in society.”

Through Inua Mama Kitty Program, Sight of Relief Organization’s Unique Talent Show (UTS) is set to happen which will create a platform to showcase inbuilt talents and various abilities that can be a voice of advocacy and
livelihood to many.

UTS will be rolled out country-wide to identify MR. and Mrs. UTS County to advocate for County disability talent and then proceed to National for MR. and Mrs. UTS Kenya to represent the Country in unique talent advocacy.

Isaboke confirmed that to achieve this program, the group needs extra support for the function to take place.

“To achieve this program we need grand support to conduct the exercise from all the counties to instill Mr. & Mrs. UTS County and progress to nationals to get the two overall Mr. & Mrs. National UTS. We look forward to partners who can support talent development to empower persons with disabilities in to do advocacy in the community with a voice of reason contrary to negative perceptions of valueless beings in society.”

The sight of Relief is a Non-profit Organization registered in 2014 to champion children and youth with disabilities rights, health, education, food security, a conducive environment, and sports/ talent in Kenyan Communities.

The Organization offers therapy services to members with disabilities and corrective surgeries to children below 10 years with orthopedic deformities and daycare services to only children with disabilities, and also a rescue center for gender-based violence victims who have disabilities.

The Managing Director of the organization led the groundbreaking where they are set to build the office at Jericho Health Center and the Sight of Relief Organization team. The Director Benson Isaboke termed the action as the biggest achievement in 2022 for the step of setting up a therapy service Centre.

”We thank God for the great achievement of the year, Today was Ground Breaking for Therapy and Rehabilitation Services Center at Jericho Health Center.”

Isaboke further stated that the reason behind the step is to ensure easy accessibility for people living with the disability in further days. The group has been facing challenges in accessing their office in town at Kenbanko Towers which is built in a no-friendly for persons with disability.

Catherine Syokau in charge of Communication and Public relations officer also added her voice over the same saying it’s the biggest step to ensure the all-inclusive rule adheres to persons living with a disability.

Syokau however has urged the government to stand out and pump capital to support the disability groups and set applicable rules in parliament and ensure enough money is set for the next budget year time.

During the function also in the officiation program was the Head of Rehabilitation officer Makadara, the Head of Infrastructure and planning officer Makadara, the Head of MOH in charge of Jericho Health Center, and the Sight of Relief Organization team.

The popular Kikuyu Mugiithi musician Dick Njoroge Munyonyi who sang the Firirinda song had opened up about being diagnosed with Prostate Cancer.

He revealed that he has started undergoing chemotherapy to contain the illness and he hopes to be in good health so that he can go on with entertaining his fans.

Dick Njoroge Munyonyi first came into the public limelight in the year 2021 after his popular song ‘Firirinda’ went viral in the country.

The singer is currently 71 years old and he also revealed that he suffers from a throat infection and which makes it hard for him to speak.

The 71-year-old singer said he had had a rough 2022 as most of the time; he was unwell.

Firirinda maestro said he organized a birthday celebration since he turned a year old today, January 1, 2023.

“I am appealing to my fans to help me go on with the chemo process since it is not very easy. I need money every time I go to the hospital but I know God will walk with me through this journey.”

In January 2022, MCSK boss Ezekiel Mutua pledged to start a pay bill kitty with Sh 100K that would go into catering for the artiste’s medical bill.

Philanthropist Karangu Wa Muraya has also asked his fans to pray for the artiste through his social media platforms.

“Let’s pray and wish a speedy recovery to our senior dad, Dick Munyonyi who’s fighting prostate cancer.”

Dick Munyonyi began his career in 1971 and had a chance to perform during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s wedding in 1989.

The Firirinda song is all about the African culture of dowry, and the marriage ceremony where two families come together to celebrate their loved ones.

The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) has dismissed rumors circulating on social media platforms alleging that it has scrapped the free maternal health care program dubbed Linda Mama from its list of services.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta introduced the initiative during his reign in a bid to improve access and quality of maternal, newborn, and child healthcare services towards the attainment of Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Agenda.

NHIF in a statement dated January 2, 2023, has insisted that the program is still operational and that over 6 million women have benefited from it since its introduction.

“Attention is drawn to recent false social media messages purporting the discontinuity of the government-funded Linda Mama program.  NHIF wishes to assure the public that the cover is still active as mothers continue to benefit massively,” the statement reads in part.

“The program, funded by the Government of Kenya, targets expectant women and aims at reducing maternal and child deaths. In addition, the program ensures mothers do not struggle with paying medical bills during pregnancy and childbirth and encourages them to seek the services of a skilled birth attendant.”

According to NHIF, once expectant mothers register for the program by dialing *155# on their phones or by downloading the ‘MY NHIF’ app, their membership is activated at any clinic, once their pregnancies are confirmed and this will see them bestowed with a one-year cover that caters for ‘four antenatal visits, normal or Caesarean section delivery, three postnatal care visits and vaccines for the child’.

NHIF likewise warned Kenyans against believing anything that they read on social media.

“The Fund urges the public to Ignore the false messages shared online,” said the healthcare provider.

Kenya-based CheckUps Medical has innovated a fully digitized mobile equipment in a bid to offer affordable medical Check ups to Blue collar workers.

The mobile clinic was featured at the Jamhuri Innovation Summit at KICC and was among the innovations visited by H. E. President William Ruto.

The mobile clinic is equipped with a digital X-ray, digital lab equipment, ECG, ultrasound and more equipment which are connected to a centralized coordinating team of experts.

The remote care model allows quality services to be offered at 30% of typical costs. The innovation will promote a future for blue collar workers powered by wellness.

The CEO of CheckUps, Dr Moka Lantum, thanked the government for the recognition and urge to take the mobile clinic to schools, farms, markets and industrial parks to serve blue collar workers. Farmers need to be checked for respiratory disease. Traders need to be checked for chronic diseases. Industrial workers need to be screened for hearing, vision and chronic disease. Children need to be checked for vision, hearing and developmental delays.

The public will be able to pay for the affordable Wellness checks using a membership cover which allows medicines and tests to be brought to their homes and workplaces.

Traders loose money when they close to visit a clinic. This innovation prevents that. Pupils loose valuable lessons when away from school. Industrial workers will not have to be afraid of lost wages as services will be a phone call away. Farmers can be served in the farm and not incur losses. The impact of an affordable cover that brings services to where they earn a living is transformational.