Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology has stepped up efforts to boost the health and sanitation of communities through community outreach. Between 29th July and Friday, 2nd August, 2024, MMUST staff and students from the Department of Reproductive Health, Midwifery and Child Health, School of Nursing, Mid midwifery and Paramedical Sciences carried out an assessment of health and sanitation for Sirisia Sub-county in Bungoma County. The activities, funded by the University, were coordinated by the SONMAPS Clinical Placement and attachment Coordinator- Dr. Roselyne Abwalaba together with the Chairperson of the Department of Reproductive Health, Midwifery and Child Health- Ms. Beatrice Mukabane.
The exercise has been ongoing for one month as part of the Clinical, placement and attachment and this was the climax and to share the findings with the community. One key finding was that the residents of Sirisia have some health challenges such as access to clean treated water and poor health seeking behaviour that require intervention by researchers, government and other stakeholders.
The MMUST 2nd and 3rd year students of Nursing keenly following the discussions at Sirisia, Bungoma County.
Speaking during the dissemination meeting at Sirisia, Dr. Roselyne Abwalaba, assured the community members and their leaders at Sirisia that the University will support this initiative. “MMUST is committed towards not only enhancing its connection with the community. We are doing this to meet the requirements as stipulated by the Nursing Council of Kenya but also as an effort to partner with other counties in the former western province in upscale the health well-being of citizens,” stated Dr. Abwalaba, adding that a healthy community is a healthy nation. She was accompanied by Ms Mable Wanyonyi and clinical instructor, Ms Dina Okwiri.
MMUST’s Dr. Roselyne Abwalaba addresses participants during the meeting with community members and other stakeholders.
The local leadership of Sirisia Sub county was represented by the Sirisia Chief- Fred Simiyu Sikala and Senior Assistant Chief, Sirisia Location, James Mauka. Concurring with other leaders present at the function, Sirisia Chief, Mr. Fred Simiyu Sikala pointed out that the ‘Home visiting’, ‘Community diagnosis’, ‘School health programs’, ‘Meat inspection at Malakisi’, and the ‘inspection of the water treatment cite at Matisi’ undertaken by MMUST students and their lecturers will be helpful in assessing the community and being able to diagnose the community problems and find solutions for them.
The highly successful and visible community activities were orchestrated in collaboration with the public health department at Sirisia, including Medical Superintendent- Dr. Mathias Lukorito, Public health officers, nursing officers, Sub-county coordinators, Gender- based violence coordinators, Community health administrators and Community health extension workers. The activities, which were conducted in thirty-eight villages, involved Ninety-seven (97) students of Nursing MMUST drawn from the 2nd and 3rd years.
Sirisia Public Health Officer, Mr. Thomas Sikuku speaks to MMUST staff and students at Sirisia.
“We work closely with the office of the Chief, and are delighted to partner with the University in enabling the people of Sirisia to access better health services. I assure you that the Government is ready to work with MMUST to boost health outcomes in Sirisia. We want them to work together with our Community Health Champions,” said the Public Health Officer, Mr. Thomas Sikuku.
One of the MMUST students presents the health and Sanitation findings at the event.
Higher institutions of learning such as MMUST are expected, as part of their mandate, to undertake community outreach and transform communities through evidence-based interventions. These activities in Sirisia have undoubtedly and uniquely positioned MMUST among the leading universities championing communities’ resilience and improvement of livelihoods through achievement of positive health outcomes. MMUST is indeed the university to watch in this sector.
By Dr. Lydia Anyonje and Shiundu Masafu
Photos by Shiundu Masafu
