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Residents of Machakos have been Urged to take part in health screening for various diseases regularly.
The county Committee Executive Member (CEM) in charge of health and emergency services Dr. Ruth Mutua said that most diseases are ignored during early stages only to be discovered in patients when they are at an advanced level.
Speaking at Mukusu dispensary in Masinga sub-county during a free medical testing and treatment outreach organized by Hepto, a US-based non-profit medical organization with branches in Somalia and Ethiopia; Mutua said the partnership will enable the residents who are in need of the services.
” Our partnership with Hepto organization has enabled us to bring more drugs to the dispensary and reach a large number of residents who were in need of medicines,” she said.
Mukusu dispensary serves an approximate number of 5500 patients.
About 400 residents were attended to during the free check-up and treatment that included diabetes, blood pressure, and cancer examination as well as Covid-19 vaccination.
Hepto representative Mohamed Ahmed informed the outreach that the organization plans to support similar programs in different parts of the country in the future.
” We plan to expand our programs to cover surgical medical camps and donate advanced medical equipment to needy health centers and hospitals in Machakos and outside, Ahmed said.
Hepto, Ahmed further said will work together with the county government to provide community training skills and knowledge to local Community Health Volunteers who are spread across the county.
Mr. Moses Muendo, a 70-year old, who benefited from the outreach urged more support towards screening and treatment of prostate cancer among men which he said had not been sufficiently addressed.