Project Description
Being a child in the slums of Nairobi means risking one’s life every day due to malnutrition, poor hygiene and health conditions and the lack of basic services. A programme of medical care and nutrition training helps local mothers and their newborns.
Child mortality in Nairobi is a widespread scourge:
- in the slum of Korogocho it is of 90 out of 1,000 live births
- in Kayole it is of 96 out of 1,000 live births
The main causes of infant mortality are malnutrition and the lack of post-natal health care, because these children are raised without paediatric check-ups and vaccines. About 30% maternal deaths are related to complications linked to abortion or abortion attempt, which is banned in Kenya.
Infrastructures and prevention
The project, in collaboration with the humanitarian organisation Provide International, is based on two pillars:
- infrastructure-relatedmeasures
- prevention-relatedmeasures
20 new bed places
The first part of the project includes the restructuring of the ground floor of Kayole clinic, where there is the first operating room for caesareans and delivery complications, which was created during the previous project. Such restructuring is to create new areas to take care of pregnant women before, during and after childbirth. It will allow to create 20 new bed places.
Check-ups and nutritional programmes
The mortality prevention programme will be implemented by checking pregnant women and children suffering from malnutrition, who live in the slums. Awareness-raising will focus on the importance of prenatal and post-natal care. Subjects will be included in specific programmes involving check-ups, nutritional programmes and vaccinations.
A nutritional programme for 1,200 kids
The project will allow to cure 3,000 pregnant women and 3,000 children (1,200 of which will be included in the nutritional programme). Furthermore, 15 new operators of the medical staff will be trained for slums’ community clinics. Their awareness will be raised especially on topics such as reproductive healthcare, nutrition and pre- and post-natal care.
How you can help
Support now mums and children living in the slums of Nairobi. Make sure they are healthy.
