Microscope at Mnyenzeni Dispensary

I received an email from Naomi, the nurse in charge at the Mnyenzeni Dispensary.  She is on our Koins board in Kenya, and requested the microscope that was provided to the Dispensary in March.  Here is an accounting of the numbers of local villagers that have benefitted from the acquisition of the microscope in our rural area: 

MNYENZENI DISPENSARY (CLINIC) – LABORATORY SERVICES

Investigations Done to Parasites as from 1^st May 2011 to 31^st August 2011

1.     Blood for Malaria parasites – 1,475

2.     Malaria cases Found positive – 429 patients

3.     Hemoglobin level – 39 patient (6 patients were anemic)

4.     Sputum examination for Tuberculosis and Follow up - 45 patients

5.     Stool examination – 171 patients

6.     Urine examination – 207 patients

Total number of patients who benefited from the laboratory services – 2,104 patients

This report was compiled and written by

NAOMI

Nurse in charge

Cindy observes the microscope being used by the lab tech at the Mnyenzeni dispensary

__________________________________________________________

Cindy Workman, a 6th grade teacher at Windridge Elementary in Farmington, Utah, and member of our Koins for Kenya board, raised the funds, along with her 6th grade class, for the purchase of the microscope for the Mnyenzeni Dispensary.  

Health care in Kenya is rudimentary at best.  Most rural dispensaries, so called because they are for the purpose of dispensing drugs that can treat diseases, rather than being clinics, with doctors and trained health care officials available to the villagers, are poorly stocked.  Many do not have electricity, further limiting their capacity for help.  

Prior to the delivery of the microscope, the Mnyenzeni dispensary did not have the ability to accurately determine what illnesses sick patients were dealing with.  Sometimes they would treat everyone for malaria, whether or not they had the illness, other times, if there were no malaria drugs available, patients would be sent away from the dispensary with no treatment.  

With the introduction of the microscope this past spring, and 2 trained lab technicians to draw blood and view blood, urine and feces under the microscope, the ability to accurately determine illness and how to treat it became a reality.  The rural area that the Mnyenzeni dispensary serves has greatly benefitted.  As you can see from the figures above, in four months time, 2,104 patients were treated using the microscope.  

Thank you to the 6th graders of Windridge who raised the funds to purchase this microscope.  Their efforts are truly making a difference to the people of rural Kenya. 

Asante sana! 

IVL