Mutomo Mission Hospital, since its beginning 40 years ago, under the administration of the sisters of Mercy, is in the catholic Diocese of Kitui, Kenya. Beginnings were small but it offers now a wide bases, low cost health service to the surrounding area. The nearest hospital to Mutomi is Kitui District Hospital, about 76 Kms Noth on a dirt road.
The population in a 30 Kms radius is well in excess of 100.000. 55% are estimated to be female. 43% are said to be between 15 & 60, 26& in Primary School and 6% in Secondary school. At least half the population is under 15 years. The terrain is dry and classified as semi-arid with an average of 400 mm that has to fall in November/December. The last 3 years had below average rainfall overall and the harvest was very poor.
Farming is little more than subsistent at the best of times- the crop being maize, beans, millet and sorghum.
Trading in goats and a few sheep and cattle is the main income source and prices fluctuate with the availability of grazing and water. Likewise maize prices and other foodstuff vary in times of plenty or scarcity.
Such harsh market forces often contrubute to hunger and malnutrition. These conditions are recurrent in Mutomo, resulting in people living from hand to mouth with very little cash for the many demands of education and health.
There are no industries locally- the majority of wage earners are in service jobs- e.g. teachers, health workers, civil servants etc. or are self employed- i.e. shopkeepers and other traders. Many people have to migrate to cities like Mombasa or Nairobi in search of work.
Mutomo receives referrals from the local health units and many people come directly. Because of poor transport and also due to poverty, many are extremely ill on arrival. Some die within hours of admission. From outside the district of Kitui people are coming for elective surgery or are referred. Specialist services are as distant as Nairobi (250Kms.) and cost is a serious constraint for many. For the majority of local people needing hospitalization Mutomo is their only hope. The people where services are provided for, are subsistence farmers whose survival is totally dependent on rain. No rain means no crop, consequently no food to eat or sell. This results in hunger, poverty and disease.
Yearly over 5000 patients are treated as inpatients in this hospital. That volume of patients constantly challenges critical elements of care in a time and place that is ravished and seriously threatened by HIV/Aids. Bed linen, syringes and gloves are a continuous shortage.
They have to recycle syringes and gloves on a regular basis in order to meet the patients'basic treatment needs. Often, especially during the malaria season there is not enough bed-linen for the patient beds.
The population in a 30 Kms radius is well in excess of 100.000. 55% are estimated to be female. 43% are said to be between 15 & 60, 26& in Primary School and 6% in Secondary school. At least half the population is under 15 years. The terrain is dry and classified as semi-arid with an average of 400 mm that has to fall in November/December. The last 3 years had below average rainfall overall and the harvest was very poor.
Farming is little more than subsistent at the best of times- the crop being maize, beans, millet and sorghum.
Trading in goats and a few sheep and cattle is the main income source and prices fluctuate with the availability of grazing and water. Likewise maize prices and other foodstuff vary in times of plenty or scarcity.
Such harsh market forces often contrubute to hunger and malnutrition. These conditions are recurrent in Mutomo, resulting in people living from hand to mouth with very little cash for the many demands of education and health.
There are no industries locally- the majority of wage earners are in service jobs- e.g. teachers, health workers, civil servants etc. or are self employed- i.e. shopkeepers and other traders. Many people have to migrate to cities like Mombasa or Nairobi in search of work.
Mutomo receives referrals from the local health units and many people come directly. Because of poor transport and also due to poverty, many are extremely ill on arrival. Some die within hours of admission. From outside the district of Kitui people are coming for elective surgery or are referred. Specialist services are as distant as Nairobi (250Kms.) and cost is a serious constraint for many. For the majority of local people needing hospitalization Mutomo is their only hope. The people where services are provided for, are subsistence farmers whose survival is totally dependent on rain. No rain means no crop, consequently no food to eat or sell. This results in hunger, poverty and disease.
Yearly over 5000 patients are treated as inpatients in this hospital. That volume of patients constantly challenges critical elements of care in a time and place that is ravished and seriously threatened by HIV/Aids. Bed linen, syringes and gloves are a continuous shortage.
They have to recycle syringes and gloves on a regular basis in order to meet the patients'basic treatment needs. Often, especially during the malaria season there is not enough bed-linen for the patient beds.
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