Over 450 people have benefitted from a two-day medical camp organized by the JKUAT Students Medical Association (JKUSMA) in Juja, Kiambu County. During the outreach, important healthcare services were extended to the local community during the two day event that run from March 25 – 26, 2024.

Partnering with esteemed institutions such as Guru Nanak Hospital, St. John’s Hospital, Marie Stopes Kenya, and JKUAT Hospital, among others, the initiative aimed to provide comprehensive medical care to those in need.

Medical specialists from different areas of specialization provided an array of services including dental care, reproductive health consultations, physiotherapy, blood pressure monitoring, diabetes checks, and more.

Comprising medical students pursuing Bachelors of Surgery and Bachelor of Medicine at JKUAT, alongside professionals in Medical Lab Sciences, Nursing, Bio-statistics, and Public Health, the camp served as a multifaceted one stop shop for healthcare solutions.

JKUAT alumni serving as medical officers in various hospitals also contributed their expertise to the noble cause.

The students set up their workstation in preparation for the medical camp.

Amos Chirchir, a representative of JKUSMA, highlighted the significance of the camp as a means for the College of Health Sciences to give back to society, particularly in the light of the exorbitant costs associated with medical care.

“As students, we felt the need to organize this outreach so that we can give back to the community. Most people have been unable to seek medical care from hospitals because it is unaffordable, and so many conditions are detected very late,” said Chirchir.

His sentiments were echoed by Mr. Wilson Waweru from St. John’s Hospital, who emphasized the importance of such initiatives in uncovering latent medical conditions and raising awareness about dental health.

“There is a need to stress the necessity for increased dental education due to issues such as poor oral hygiene, diet-related dental problems, and the prevalence of gum disease and cavities among the populace. This is because dental issues can trigger other ailments in the body,” explained Mr. Waweru.

Additionally, Ms. Jane Rose from Marie Stopes Kenya commended the camp as an invaluable platform for educating the population on reproductive health and safe sex practices, vital in preventing risky abortions, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and other related issues.

Some of the students interact with other service providers during the camp.

The impact of the medical camp was profound, with beneficiaries like Mr. Maina Gichinga expressing gratitude for the outreach that afforded him a much-needed health check-up. His comments struck a similar chord with many others  within the Juja community who benefited from healthcare services provided by the JKUSMA-led initiative.