A record 729 residents of Nyeri Valley Estate received free medical care when Nyeri MTC students and staff held a medical camp at the area Baptist Church on June 6.
The event, organised by the campus' Christian Union, reached out to residents of Majengo, Blue Valley, Kiawara and Witemere Estates.
Residents got the benefit of specialised services: laboratory services were availed to 150 patients, VCT services to 150, among others.
The camp provided students with the necessary practical experience in their fields of study.
Nyeri MTC Principal Ms Grace Mbuthia, and her deputy Mr. Rukwaro were commended ctober 2009for their support.
Mt. Kenya Hospital, Nyeri, Coca-Cola company and the provincial general hospital's doctors also got commendation.
The college has continued to play a significant role in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Since 2004, the college, through its Kisumu campus, has been training health workers to make life better for people with HIV/AIDS in Kenya.
The campus is in partnership with the UK non-governmental organization Mildmay International and the Ministry of Health.
And now the partnership is growing even stronger; it has introduced the innovative course to Nairobi, Thika and Kakamega MTCs to step up the fight against HIV/ AIDS in their provinces, which are in dire need of the service.
The training is designed to equip health workers with skills to militate against devastating impact of HIV/AIDS on the lives of individuals, families and communities.
The training emphasises Home-Based Care (HBC), largely improving on the quality of Aids care to patients by enhancing linkages between health facilities and communities.
Eldoret's internally displaced persons benefit from the College's helping hand
Eldoret MTC treated close to 400 displaced people camping at a local church in Eldoret town on July 14. They also donated food, clothing, books and stationery as well as personal effects to the church's school where the children of displaced families are attending school.
Eldoret MTC students and staff denied themselves several meals to raise the donations to assist their fellow Kenyans ejected from their homes during the post-poll violence. And the KMTC Director Dr. Timothy King'ondu gave logistical support to make the event a success.
Malaria and respiratory tract infections, which were most prevalent, were treated. Other ailments that were also treated included ear, nose and throat disorders, skin conditions and intestinal worms.
A complete hospital offering Mother and Child Health/Family Planning, curative, and laboratory services was brought at the disposal of the displaced persons. Pharmacy services were also available to the patients.
The College bought the drugs used to treat the patients. Other drugs were solicited by the College Director's office from the college's partners and well-wishers, including Kemsa, and Regal Pharmaceuticals.
Eldoret MTC mobilized all its senior students from Nursing, Clinical Medicine and Medical Engineering, Lecturers and staff to play an active role in the event that, according to the Principal Mr. Thomas Bett, "draws the college near the Community."
Even though the camp was the first for the college, such initiative, according to the college's organizing Committee's Chairman Mr. Mike Ojiambo, provided some useful lessons to medical fraternity. "The community has more problems than they present to health facilities. Health care providers therefore need to be proactive in dealing with community's healthcare problems."
The camp was also an opportunity for the college's students to learn that they do not have to wait before taking action to address society's health related problems, says Mr. Bett.
Eldoret, which was hardest hit by the post-election violence that rocked the country after the announcement of the presidential elections earlier in the year, needed humanitarian assistance. "There was need for the college to assist by sourcing drugs and mobilizing other resources to assist fellow Kenyans in Eldoret, "says Mr. Kangutu Muli, Chairman of the National Organizing Committee.
The college also successfully organized similar events in Nakuru, Nyeri and Thika to held displaced people at the height of post-poll violence.
The displaced people praised the college. KMTC's "sensitivity to the plight of the less fortunate has touched several people today, said Ms. Agnetta Lihali, a patient at the church.
Public Relations Officer Mr. Kamau Maina told the patients that the college, which is as a public institution, is intricately linked to the community and takes the plight of the community seriously.
