Clinics bring care to those in need
sexual liaisons between young men and girls], early marriages, polygamy, bush abortions and traditional medical beliefs — which make life very difficult for women,” Parare explains..
Dispensing medicine provides a pretext for women to come to the permanent thing for women, that’s when they allow their woman to access services. They also get a positive response from other beneficiaries, and can start to accept it.”
Last year, Chat reached 140 980 people, with the Corps and Landrover clinics serving the majority. But the camel team added a crucial 8 663 people in the furthermost areas who might otherwise not have been served. Nearly 5 000 people received basic medicines for ailments such as malaria, diarrhoea and skin infections.
In a day Nunu will provide basic medicines to between 20 and 30 patients and see up to 80 clients for family planning. “When a client comes for insertion [of a birth-control implant], she decides for how long, and then I do a pregnancy test. If it’s negative, she chooses the method she wants. It could be a one-month pill, or a three-month injection or a threeyear insertion. Then I do the insertion in the privacy of a tent.”
Last year, the clinics administered family planning to 40 604 women; more than half of whom chose a three- to five-year insertion. More than 200 000 condoms were distributed. “When we provide people with it [contraception], maternal health complications go down. Economically, people become better off.”
For Nunu, her work is “a passion to serve this community”. “You know, when we went for training it was like a call. And when we serve the community to which we are called, we feel content.”