AMPATH Partners Convene in Eldoret
Recent travel to Kenya by some of AMPATH’s North American leaders brought welcome feelings of normalcy to IU House and the partnership this month. However, increasing cases of COVID-19 and the expanding presence of the Delta variant has the health system in western Kenya bracing for an expected fourth wave of the pandemic.
MTRH CEO Dr. Wilson Aruasa addresses AMPATH partners
AMPATH Consortium Executive Director Adrian Gardner, MD, MPH, and Kara Wools-Kaloustian, MD, MS, co-director of research, were eager to connect with colleagues and friends at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), Moi University (MU) and throughout the AMPATH network during their recent trips. Although the AMPATH Consortium’s faculty members who reside in Kenya full-time returned last fall, until recently shorter trips were still a challenge due to testing, quarantine and university travel restrictions.
“Frankly, it was a relief to see how quickly all of our connections were renewed and months of connecting only remotely faded away,” said Dr. Gardner. “While Kenya and many other parts of the world are still facing enormous challenges both from the virus itself, as well as the ensuing economic impact, our partnership endures with our care, training and research missions intact,” he added.
A leadership breakfast at the new Eka Hotel in Eldoret
The opportunity to reconnect in person was lauded during a leadership breakfast hosted at the new Eka Hotel in Eldoret. Guests included: MTRH CEO Dr. Wilson K. Aruasa, EBS; Moi University Vice-Chancellor Professor Isaac Kosgei; MU Deputy Vice-Chancellors Professor Isaac Kimengi, Professor Nathan Ogechi and Professor Tarus; MU CFO George Aduda, CPA; MU Director of Research Professor Simeon Mining; Acting Principal of the College of Health Sciences Professor Kuremu Tenge; Executive Director for Care Program and Chief of Party for AMPATHPlus Professor Sylvester Kimaiyo; AMPATH Executive Director for Research Programs Professor Winstone Nyandiko; Robert Rono, head of AMPATH’s Research and Sponsored Projects Office; AMPATH Executive Field Director Dr. Laura Ruhl, Dr. Gardner and other key staff from MU, MTRH and AMPATH.
Upcoming oncology projects were also discussed during the visit
The high-level meeting included discussion of the impact of the 30-year partnership between MTRH, MU and the AMPATH Consortium of international universities as well as future initiatives.
“The power of the AMPATH partnership cannot be stopped, even by a pandemic,” said Dr. Aruasa. “MTRH has been a leader in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in western Kenya and we continued to move important initiatives to completion such as the new Radiotherapy Centre and new Oxygen Generation Plant. New facilities for COVID-19 patients at the Rafiki Centre and World Bank Building, as well as a new Laboratory have all recently been completed at MTRH.”
“With our AMPATH partners, we envision new opportunities for improving care through increased training and research opportunities,” he continued.
MTRH CEO also reiterated on sustainability of AMPATH by local Institutions providing more support both financial & Human Resources for Health (HRH), and proper HR succession planning and management in all AMPATH projects.
Professors Kimaiyo and Nyandiko speak during the leadership breakfast
Indiana University physicians Pat Loehrer, MD, and Terry Vik, MD, joined Dr. Aruasa for a meeting to discuss the future of the oncology programs including plans for a medical oncology fellowship to join existing fellowships in pediatric oncology and gynecologic oncology.
Acting Principal of the College of Health Sciences Professor Kuremu Tenge addresses the gathered leaders
Busia County Governor Sospeter Ojaamong and other county leaders also joined leaders from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and AMPATH’s population health team for a meeting in Eldoret to discuss the successful rollout of the NHIF pilot in the county. Thanks to AMPATH support, an additional 1,000 beneficiaries from Bunyala sub-county will have access to the national insurance product.
While recognizing the many successful AMPATH partner initiatives, everyone in the region is keenly aware of the continuing threat that COVID poses. Vaccinations of healthcare workers at MTRH and AMPATH have been ongoing with most receiving their second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccination. However, only about 1 percent of Kenyans are fully vaccinated according to the Ministry of Health. An additional consignment of 358,700 vaccines was received in June from Denmark.