With the assist of the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, the UN Refugee agency has provided greater than three,one hundred forty pregnant women and women in Kenya’s Kakuma camp and Kalobeyei settlement with uninterrupted entry to maternal well being companies in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. beneath is the story of Eliana, who just these days gave starting to a healthful woman.
Eliana was 4 months pregnant when she heard with regard to the important novel coronavirus case in Kakuma refugee camps in northwestern Kenya.
“i used to be scared that, with most companies closing down, the hospitals would shut, too,” mentioned the Burundian refugee. “Later, I noticed that the hospitals remained opened and that i used to be relieved.”
as quickly as we spoke to her, she stopped often to take deep breaths as she struggled to comb her small store. She is proud to be an entrepreneur.
“i started this enterprise to make money so I can buy issues for my household,” mentioned Eliana, who runs the store collectively with her husband.
nonetheless, the COVID-19 pandemic has closely affected her livelihood.
“the worth of gives has actually gone up, and simply a few prospects go to my store now,” she mentioned.
For mothers like Eliana, an enhance in prices and restrictions of movement have additionally meant restricted entry to fundamental gadgets equivalent to secondhand clothes for infants and latest meals for his or her well being and effectively-being.
“all by way of my first being pregnant, I simply obtained latest fruits. at the second, it has been tough to get your hands on any accessible inside the market,” she mentioned.
fortunately, regardless of the pandemic, Eliana was nonetheless in a place to entry her routine medical visits, due to the maternity wing at Natukobenyo well being Clinic, managed by the Kenya pink Cross Society (KRCS), a well being confederate of the UN Refugee agency (UNHCR).
KRCS hires group well being promoters, collectively with refugees who repeatedly adopted up with Eliana and utterly different pregnant women and women inside the camp to make sure that that they’ve entry to prenatal care at close by well being services.
“I really feel very protected when the well being promoters come to confirm on me,” Eliana mentioned.
With assist from the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and the United Nations basis, UNHCR and companions have ensured continuity of important medical companies, collectively with routine vaccinations, reproductive well being companies for being pregnant and supply, emergency care, and utterly different companies throughout all well being services inside the Kakuma refugee camps and the Kalobeyei settlement. that is collectively with COVID-19 assist, collectively with testing and remedy.
Dr. Jesse Muriithi, UNHCR’s public well being officer in Kakuma, is appreciative of the assist from the World well being group (WHO), which has ensured a sustained response to COVID-19 inside the camp that hosts over 198,000 refugees, and the place 307 cases have been detected for the rationale that first one was reported in may.
“as a consequence of the camp is densely populated, the hazard of a speedy unfold of COVID-19 stays extreme,” Muriithi mentioned. “This assist has given well being care workers and the group the devices to reduce off transmission of the virus and avert avoidable deaths.”
Between January and November 2020, 4,753 refugee and Kenyan infants had been delivered in well being services throughout Kakuma camp and Kalobeyei settlement, with over three,one hundred forty of the deliveries carried out since may, when the important COVID-19 case was reported inside the world.
Eliana gave starting to a healthful woman in October and named her Christena, after her husband, Christophe.
“usually, a convoy of bike riders would come to welcome the new baby. they may hoot all of the method by which dwelling and the group would come collectively to welcome the kid,” mentioned Eliana.
whereas the pandemic made this celebratory parade unattainable, Eliana is grateful for the protected supply of her healthful baby.
In Kenya, the place the COVID-19 outbreak represents but one extra problem that risks overshadowing the preexisting humanitarian wants of primarily the most weak of us, the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund contribution is essential. due to this funding, UN Refugee agency (UNHCR) actions in response to the current state of affairs are strengthened, collectively with well being assist in clinics and hospitals in a quantity of refugee-internet hosting areas of the nation, which the host group may even entry.
you almost certainly may even assist
every movement counts inside the fight in direction of COVID-19. By supporting the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, you almost certainly may even assist continued efforts to fight the virus and shield the lives of refugees all by way of the world. The Fund is the quickest and easiest method for of us, firms, and organizations to assist the work of the World well being group and its companions in battling the virus.
This piece was provided by UNHCR’s Samuel Otieno and has been edited and printed with permission.