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TURMOIL IN KENYA AFFECTS YOUNG PATIENTS:
As Violence Increases, Hospital for Disabled Children
Struggles to Restore Normal Operations
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The ensuing violence from a debated presidential election in Kenya is affecting the daily operations of the A.I.C.(African Inland Church)-CURE International Children’s Hospital in Kijabe, Kenya. Hospital services could continue to be disrupted for at least the next six months.
The hospital has been forced to cancel numerous mobile clinics to the surrounding areas of Eldoret, Kisumu and Kitale and, with the high price of diesel fuel, many children cannot afford to travel to the mobile clinics they depend upon for treatment. Frequent power outages have caused the hospital generator to work overtime, resulting in higher maintenance costs. The hospital is operating at 40 percent of normal capacity.
Disabled children remain low in priority at various relief camps that have been set up throughout Kenya. CURE’s hospital is struggling to restore its functionality to ensure the needs of the country’s disabled children are met in this time of crisis.
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Mark Bush, chief operating officer of CURE International. Responsible for new program development, existing hospital operations and overall financial strategy at CURE. Bush plans to travel to Kenya next month to assess the impact of the situation on the operations of the hospital.
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By appointment, via phone |
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CURE Kenya was established in 1998 to provide care for children suffering from clubfoot, cleft lip/palate, curvature of the spine and disabilities from polio, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and other congenital abnormalities. The hospital was Africa’s first orthopedic and pediatric teaching facility for physically disabled children. CURE Kijabe normally sees 8,000 patients annually.
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To schedule an interview with Mark Bush, contact Jodi Cunningham at 972.267.1111 or [email protected].
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