Kenya - IOM has launched a dispensary that will serve the local pastoralist community living in Letea and Lokipoto areas of Turkana county, northwestern Kenya.

At the request of Kenya’s Ministry of Health, and with funding from the Japanese government, IOM converted the building, which will serve some 33,000 pastoralists who were previously forced to walk for long distances in search of medical attention.

Located 30km from Kakuma town, the dispensary will provide health care services including child immunization, mother and child health, nutrition, and primary health care for the pastoralist community. The nearest medical facility previously serving the community was the Kakuma Mission Hospital.

IOM has fully equipped the dispensary and the Kenyan Ministry of Health has deployed two nurses to run it. The local community has also selected a committee to oversee the facility, which is expected to improve access to health care for the community and reduce child mortality rates.

The Kenyan Ministry of Health is now planning to train 50 health community workers who will embark on a door-to-door health awareness campaign to sensitize the local community on hygiene matters.

For more information please contact

Lovorka Ikovac
IOM Nairobi
Email: likovac@iom.int  

or

Joseph Kabiru
Email: jkabiru@iom.int