Kenya Ministry of Health Celebrates PEN-Plus Launch

Attending the launch of the PEN-Plus clinic in Hamisi Sub-County Hospital in Gisambai, Kenya, were, from left: Dr. Catherine Karekezi, PEN-Plus implementer for NCD Alliance Kenya; Eunice Owino, an alumna of the Voices of NCDI Poverty Advocacy Fellowship; Dr. Wubaye Dagnaw, East Africa regional advisor for the Network; and Dr. Emily Wroe, director of programs for the Network.

The Kenya Ministry of Health, the county government of Vihiga, and NCD Alliance Kenya hosted a celebration of the launch of PEN-Plus in Kenya on June 19. 

Two PEN-Plus clinics opened in Kenya in March. The celebration marked the official opening of the PEN-Plus clinic at the Hamisi Sub-County Hospital in Gisambai in Vihiga County, soon to be followed by the official opening of the clinic in Isiolo County.

The launch event was planned in observance of World Sickle Cell Day, as the PEN-Plus clinics increase the quality and accessibility of chronic care services for sickle cell disease and other severe, chronic noncommunicable diseases, such as type 1 diabetes and rheumatic heart disease.

The PEN-Plus team in Kenya estimates that for every local child diagnosed with sickle cell disease, as many as 10 others have yet to be diagnosed. The PEN-Plus team is prepared to address this gap by providing diagnosis and treatment services to thousands of children in need.

Dr. Wilber Ottichilo, the governor of Vihiga County, and Dr. Patrick Amoth, the country’s acting director general for health, led the launch event, with local government officials, ministry staff, health advocates, and NCDI Poverty Network leaders in attendance.

Dr. Emily Wroe delivers remarks.

“Today, I want to tell you about two people I met recently who are living with sickle cell disease,” said Dr. Emily Wroe, director of programs at the NCDI Poverty Network, during her remarks in Swahili at the event. After sharing the stories of a young woman first diagnosed at age 20 with a debilitating fracture of her hip, and a young boy falling behind in school because of his condition, Dr. Wroe continued: “But stories do not need to go like this. There is much reason for hope today. The NCDI Poverty Network was founded on this hope — the hope of diagnostics, of treatment, of trained healthcare workers, of political will, and of communities like the one here today coming together. Hamisi Hospital is ready to diagnose and treat sickle cell disease.”

Eunice Owino, a sickle cell disease advocate and an alumna of the Voices of NCDI Poverty Advocacy Fellowship, was also present at the event.

“I’m so excited to be here for the celebration of the first PEN-Plus clinic in Kenya,” Owino said. “I have been dreaming about having access to such an NCD clinic since I was diagnosed with sickle cell disease as a child. PEN-Plus makes lifesaving care available to members of the local sickle cell community, and I hope to see the program scaled up throughout Kenya.”