In Kibera, Kenya, the cost of health misinformation is life-threatening. Although community members are aware of the health facilities that exist in Kibera, there is a serious lack of health service utilization at these facilities. To address this dangerous gap, Curamericas Global, in partnership with Carolina for Kibera, and with support from Ronald McDonald House Charities, works with Community Health Volunteers to provide health education and bridge the gap between health facilities and the community.

The report from the first quarter in 2015 show huge strides to increase use of health facility services. Twenty seven volunteers and staff were trained to utilize the Care Group model, which helps community health volunteers provide household-level health education. As a result, 210 pregnant women were reached with vital health education and support.  From January through June this year, 99 deliveries were reported; of these, 91% were attended by skilled attendants at health facilities.

Care Groups also contributed to increased knowledge on health topics including antenatal care, handwashing and hygiene, danger signs in pregnancy, exclusive breastfeeding, and emergency danger signs in newborns and during the postpartum period. Care Group Volunteers conducted 1,398 household visits between January and June to pregnant women and households with children under age five to disseminate vital health messages on these and other topics.

While conducting home visits, Care Group Volunteers also help to monitor the health status of women and children in the community. Amongst many duties, Care Group Volunteers conduct post-delivery follow-up home visits, where they visit new mothers to check on issues including post-partum hemorrhage (excessive bleeding after birth), a major cause of maternal mortality. During one such visit, Maryanne, a Care Group Volunteer, encountered a mother with a newborn who informed her that she was experiencing some bleeding. This being a danger sign for post-partum women, Maryanne immediately referred her to the Tabitha clinic. Maryanne also accompanied her to ensure she received much needed care.

Because Care Group Volunteers are in constant contact with community members, they are able to identify health emergencies and ensure appropriate care is received in a timely manner. Without a visit from Maryanne, this new mother likely would not have pursued the vital health care she that needed and that ultimately saved her life. Care Group Volunteers like Maryanne who conduct regular home visits help connect community members to necessary health services and help save lives.

Author: Caitlin Showalter, Curamericas Programs and Development Intern

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