Lwala Community Alliance

16% of the world’s population lives with a disability– that’s 1.3 BILLION people! ?? As frontline workers in their communities, CHWs are charged with ensuring every household has access to dignified, inclusive health care. To chart a path forward for disability inclusion in our community health workforce, Lwala partnered with the Missing Billion Initiative to pilot a training model and curriculum on disability inclusion to train and empower CHWs on disability awareness and inclusion. ?? Read about how we’re reaching the missing billion in our newest blog! : https://lnkd.in/eSGRzJSc

It's an honor to have MOSES OMONDI as a close colleague at Lwala Community Alliance and see his career blossom. His contributions to our community-led health model are deeply impactful and his dedication to our work has quite the ripple effect with his co-workers.

Thank you MOSES OMONDI for sharing your story. We are so grateful to have you as a part of our Lwala community ?? If you are planning to give this holiday season, we urge you to plan your gift this December 3rd on #GivingTuesday. By giving to this campaign, your gift will be matched by our anonymous donors, doubling your impact to ensure that community members like Moses' sister continue to receive the quality care they deserve. Follow along with the campaign on our instagram: https://lnkd.in/e_tVnYAB

Meet Quinter Akoth, a Lwala Patient Attendant and mother, who has given birth to four healthy babies at Lwala Community Hospital. Last year, when she became pregnant with her fifth child, Quinter knew she could rely on Lwala’s maternity open days to access free antenatal care services such as ultrasounds, maternity ward tours, and health discussions on nutrition, breastfeeding, and danger signs during pregnancy.?However, when Quinter went in for her six-month check-up, clinicians were alarmed by her elevated blood pressure. After a couple of days of bed rest and monitoring with no improvement, Quinter was rushed to another hospital, equipped with a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Through this referral, Quinter was notified that she would need emergency surgery to save her and her baby’s life. Later that day, she gave birth to her baby Bretrice at just 1.3kg. Shrinking further to 1kg in the NICU, Quinter knew her child would be more at risk for future health complications. Quinter recalls how the Lwala staff continued to check in with her post-surgery, helping her access more affordable medicine and supporting her with health information on how to take care of her newborn while they both recovered. Six months later, Baby Bretrice is back home with her mother, weighing a healthy 8.2Kg– well above the median percentile for babies her age. This #WorldPrematurityDay, Quinter’s story serves as an example of how respectful and compassionate maternity care coupled with swift referral mechanisms ensures every mother gets the high-quality care they deserve. “I want to share my story to help other mothers navigate premature births and let them know they can still raise healthy, strong kids,” says Quinter, “I am grateful to the Lwala staff who used their tools to refer me to a hospital with a NICU and continue to check in on me and my baby’s health”. #PrematurityAwarenessMonth #MaternalHealth #NewbornHealth #MNH

?? Save the date! #GivingTuesday is December 3rd! We hope you'll join Lwala’s movement to raise $50,000 for maternal and child health in rural Kenya. Stay tuned for more fun surprises this GivingTuesday ??

?? Save the date! #GivingTuesday is December 3rd! We hope you'll join Lwala’s movement to raise $50,000 for maternal and child health in rural Kenya. Stay tuned for more fun surprises this GivingTuesday ??

A future where all CHWs are digitally equipped for better health delivery requires policy change alongside our partners in government. Here is a snapshot of our progress to date ?? ?? Together with government and CHU4UHC partners, we created a framework to guide the eCHIS digital platform implementation. We also instituted governance structures, including a steering advisory committee and a Technical Working Group to oversee and direct digital health interventions to align with national policy. The data #CHWs collect on community health is now integrated with Kenya’s national health information system which makes decision making data driven and efficient. ?? Looking ahead, we will ensure that our shared policy commitments lead to greater strides for #CHWs digitization–ultimately improving healthcare access across the country. We anticipate the implementation of the Digital Health Act, operationalized by the Digital Health Agency. It will guide the enhancement of eCHIS, its integration with electronic medical records at health facilities and the improvement of two-way referral mechanisms. Working hand in hand with the national government of Kenya to ensure lasting change in policy for community health is a central pillar of our model. Our journey to date has been nothing short of this vision. ?? #DigitalHealthWeek2024

? Our work in digital health would not be possible without our partners– including the Ministry of Health, Kenya, Medic, Living Goods, CHU4UHC, AMREF and the #proCHWs. Coming together has meant great strides for #UniversalHealthCoverage across western Kenya and saving lives through informed data decisions. ?? Learn more about this work in a video made in partnership with BBC StoryWorks and Medic: https://lnkd.in/e6R3drRG

Last week, we had the privilege of participating in an important workshop with key stakeholders to draft regulations for Kenya's Primary Health Care (#PHC) Act. The key focus areas of the workshop included: - Empowering Community Health Promoters - Engaging communities in health decision-making - Strengthening the PHC workforce - Securing sustainable funding - Developing a solid framework for PHC implementation The meeting brought together crucial stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Health, Kenya(MoH), the Council of Governors, NASCOP, Nairobi and Kisumu counties, USAID, AMREF, PATH, Lwala Community Alliance, UNICEF, and Johnson & Johnson. Their collective input highlighted the importance of creating regulations that reflect the realities at the county level, ensuring that Kenya's health system addresses the diverse needs of its population. By establishing these regulations, Kenya is making strides toward a robust PHC system that will support Universal Health Coverage (#UHC), protecting citizens' health and economic stability through improved access to essential services. #PrimaryHealthcare #UniversalHealthCoverage #Kenya #HealthEquity #PublicHealth

USAID MOMENTUM is hosting a Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH) Community of Practice webinar today and tomorrow... and Lwala's own Carren Siele will be presenting! ?? ? Tune in TOMORROW, November 7th at 9 AM EST (5 PM EAT) to hear Carren Siele, Lwala’s Program Coordinator and Clinical Master Trainer for emergency obstetric and neonatal care, discuss how Lwala is using NAS-G technology to combat PPH, the leading cause of maternal death in Kenya. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gKrjgrp9