Kenya’s Family Medicine goal:
100 Family Doctors (GPs) to be trained by 2018
- By January 2013 first 15 graduates of MMed Family Medicine Kenya.
- Now 20 family doctor registrars training in Moi University and Aga Khan University.
- That is 35 doctors already.
- 65 more Family Doctors to go.
Kenya can do it – with your help!
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| A champion of Family Medicine |
Dr Thigiti: one of the first Kenya- trained Family Doctors at Kangundo District Hospital
A Kenyan nurse’s view of a Family Doctor:
‘this person is able to
go around the person, or even the family. He can tackle the child [illnesses]
in that family. He can tackle the mother who has gynaecology issues. He can
touch the father who has an issue even with marriage, because he has done
psychology as well. Our family medicine Dr has done even psychology, so he can
go around the family issues. He can give a health talk…[He] will go to
maternity and deliver the baby as well, do maternal issues which is complicated
and he can come out well.’
[Voort et al, BMC
Family Practice 2012 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2296/13/12]
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| Out-Patients at Machakos District Hospital - educating TB patients |
In February my daughter Catriona and I
visited the three Mark Towriss Bursary scholars. It was clear to us that the bursary
fund is valuable; not only for the 3 recipients but indirectly for those many
rural Kenyans who have little medical health support. Indeed, it is a small act
of solidarity in support of the still few Kenyan Family Doctors. They are working hard to turn the face of
medicine away from the big city hospitals, to look outwards to the rural 80% of
their population. They are slowly forging links with more remote communities,
with rural nurses and clinical officers (health professional educated to level
below doctor). In both district hospitals I visited managed by Family Doctors
they have introduced Comprehensive Care out-patient programmes to educate TB
and HIV patients; teaching them the need for continuity of treatment. Better
out-patient services are reducing the need for hospital admissions. They have also introduced palliative care
clinics. These are small beginnings – precious innovations.
Dr Tembu, the first bursary scholar is
close to graduation. His training has given him enthusiasm for preventative
medicine and clinical teaching and he would eventually like to join the Faculty
of Family Medicine teachers.
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| Catriona, Dr Ochieng, Ute and Dr Kibet
|
Dr Kibet and Dr Ochieng are both second
year Bursary Scholars. They grew up in rural Kenya and feel both a bond and a
sense of responsibility towards their communities. Their thoughtful lecturer Dr
Chege spoke of the financial sacrifice family medicine will entail – private
city practices command higher salaries and social status. But in his long experience of serving rural
communities, Dr Chege observed that there are other less tangible rewards. As Catriona and I sat with Drs Kibet and
Ochieng that evening sharing a meal and talking about medicine, I was
impressed by their thoughtful observations about the work and the challenges they face - they were also youthful and fun to be with!
Drs Tembu, Kibet and Ochieng asked us to
express their gratitude to all who have made this bursary possible.
