The Rhein-Valley Hospital Association has expanded its day clinic in Kenya. President Erich Kühnis travelled to the opening of the extension in January. There is now also a laboratory, a maternity ward and therapy rooms.
He was able to take a look at a pleasing development there. The infrastructure of the day clinic has reached a standard that guarantees basic medical care for the population.
Project was realised in nine months
The day clinic at the Maji Moto school (two hours’ drive from Mombasa), which opened two years ago, has been extended to include a building next to the outpatient centre. It houses a laboratory, a building department and therapy rooms for children with disabilities. Erich Kühnis says:
«It is remarkable how precisely and quickly the local people realised the project.»
The board of the Altstätter Verein approved the project in May. The shell of the building was completed in September and work is already underway. Erich Kühnis says:
The project management acted on its own responsibility, while the board monitored and controlled the process.
The buildings alone are not enough to ensure medical care. Local specialists are just as important. They know the needs of the population and have a qualified job in their home country.
A strong team for better medicine
Violet Maghangha has been full-time hospital director since December 2023. She organised the operation of the day clinic within a very short space of time, treated numerous patients with her team and planned and implemented the extension at the same time.
She has now taken on Onesmus Ochieng Oduori. He is a laboratory technician and is very familiar with the equipment. Violet Maghangha describes him like this:
«He is passionate and friendly and is looking forward to joining our Rhine Valley community.»
Previously, each analysis had to be carried out in a laboratory around 45 minutes away from the clinic. Transporting the samples alone would be more expensive than having them analysed in our own laboratory. Now, good diagnoses can be made quickly.
Fundraising
«It is becoming increasingly difficult to fundraise,’ says President Erich Kühnis», The appeal for donations at Christmas only brought in enough money to cover a third of the annual requirement.
«The Executive Board is called upon to raise awareness with even more activities and to convince people of its project.»
For example, the Rhine Valley Hospital Association will be represented at the May Market (1 May) in Altstätten. It will be providing information about progress and challenges at a stand there.
