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Our Mission
To demonstrate the love of Christ to people affected by
disaster, conflict and poverty
around the world.
Find out more about us.


Aid programs for preventable disease, famine, community health.

Kenya

Surgical services needed in Kenya

Map of KenyaIn much of Africa there is only one fully trained surgeon to every million people. Most surgeons are concentrated in the major cities caring for the wealthy and upper middle classes. Training African surgeons in Africa is the surest way to prepare African surgeons for the unique challenges they will face.

Through a partnership with the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS), our volunteers provide training to surgical residents of multiple hospitals throughout Africa. Medical Teams International sends teams to provide quality surgical services to the poor in Kenya.

Our Work

We sent our first team to northern Kenya in 1992 during the Somalian conflict to provide health services for Somalian refugees living in northern Kenya. In 2001, Medical Teams International sent a nutrition team to work in partnership with World Concern on a famine relief project. In 2007, we funded a home-based care and support project for people living with HIV and AIDS in collaboration with our partner, Christian Missionary Fellowship-Narok Health Ministries. In 2009, we began sending teams to PAACS programs at Kijabe Hospital to train surgical residents. Courses for resident surgeons include hands-on and lecture-based training.

Plans for 2012-2013

Medical Teams International will send a volunteer team to Kijabe Hospital to train surgical residents this year. The hospital is part of the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons. Volunteers will provide hands-on and lecture-based training for surgical residents in the program.

Volunteer physicians with specialties in general surgery, orthopedics, oncology, ophthalmology, urology, plastic surgery, ENT, pediatric surgery and neurosurgery, among other specialties are needed. Find out about volunteering to help save lives in Kenya. 

Medical Teams International is registering an office in Kenya, to continue the efforts of disaster response teams in the North.

Our Partners

Medical Teams International works with Kijabe Hospital in Kenya. The hospital is a member of the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS), an association created to address the long-standing shortage of African general surgeons. PAACS is affiliated with the Christian Medical and Dental Society of North America and receives financial support from its Committee on International Medical Education (COIMEA).

Horn of Africa Future Plans

Although there is still much work to be done, our programs in the region are transitioning from disaster response to development as the famine conditions slowly begin to improve. We are now focusing our efforts on the sustainability and capacity building of local health workers, which will have a significant, long-term impact.

To date, our 11 teams and 29 Medical Teams International volunteers have treated 5,914 adults, 2,605 children, and trained 35 local workers for a total of 8,554 individuals served. By working through a local partner in Somalia and our Community Health Workers in Kenya this number is far greater, as they have continuously supported villages and treated patients even when security would not allow volunteers to go to certain areas. Medical Teams International has also distributed supplies and medicines to local communities and partner agencies working in the region. An estimated 40,000 people in Kenya and Somalia have been directly or indirectly impacted by this project.

We have hired a Kenyan, Somali-speaking, national to serve as Medical Teams International’s Nurse Educator. Through the capacity building of our partner, our impact will continue to reach across the dividing line into some of the darkest areas of Somalia.

We brought Community Owned Resource Persons (CORP) on board for training community leaders. The CORP’s are the equivalent to Community Health Workers. An education plan was developed based on previous lessons on malaria, EPR, and nutrition. Medical Teams International will also give support throughout with UNICEF C-IMCI materials.

The strategy of the Somalia Emergency Health Program is to enable health workers and CORPs to deliver health and nutrition teachings to internally displaced people in the now four refugee camps and to the host community.

Training has been completed and cascaded to CORPS, TBA's and mothers on the following topics:

  • Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses.
  • Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition.
  • Facilitation Skills.
  • Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices.
  • Safe Motherhood.
  • Emergency Preparedness Response to Disease Outbreaks.
  • Long Lasting Insecticide Net Usage and benefits.

The rationale of the strategy is to birth and nurture attitude and behavior change in various cadres of health workers to efficiently and effectively use the current protocols in health and nutrition practices to better the health of the communities in their areas of service.

Another added advantage is that, the capacity building approach is designed to enable the community to attain and spread a health seeking behavior within their community. This will increase uptake of health services in these communities, reducing and preventing morbidity and mortality through a sustainable multidisciplinary approach.

You can help save lives in Kenya

Please consider a donation or find out about volunteering to help save lives in Kenya.