Catholic Mission Dispensary Serving Marginalized in Kenyan Diocese Wins National Award

Expressing his elation at the award, Fr. Maxwell Atugba, a Spiritan Priest who is in charge of the Catholic Mission said that the nationwide recognition puts the health facility on the global map, thus opening more growth opportunities for the facility.

Fr. Maxwell Atugba, member of the Spiritans who is in charge of St. Luke, Tangulbei Catholic Mission in Kenya's Nakuru Diocese. Credit: ACI Africa

“I feel very excited. All the staff at our Dispensary who work in the most difficult conditions are elated at this recognition. It shows that our efforts are being recognized in this place that remains hidden from the rest of the country,” Fr. Atugba said in the Monday, April 3 interview with ACI Africa.

He added, “This award puts us on the global map and more partners are likely to come on board to help us grow.”

The Ghanaian-born Spiritan Priest said that TDPM has distinguished itself in service provision, ensuring that its drug stores are always stocked. Where most hospitals in Kenya encounter the challenge of empty drug stores, the Spiritan Dispensary in St. Luke’s Tangulbei Catholic Mission always prioritizes its drug supplies when budgeting for the health facility.

With a state-of-the-art medical theatre, and over 20 staff including a resident medical doctor qualified to conduct surgeries, TDMP also meets the criteria to be categorized as a level 4 hospital.

In the interview with ACI Africa, Fr. Atugba said that plans are underway to have Kenya’s Minister for Health complete the formalities to gazette TDMP as a level 4 hospital, after which it will embark on performing surgeries.

TDMP has also grown to have four additional subunits that are managed by qualified nurses.

Nasaltuko Dispensary. Credit: Courtesy Photo

It also conducts frequent mobile clinics in different areas within the entire Tiaty Constituency, which measure 4,540 square kilometers.

The health facility also offers outpatient services, ambulance services, and laboratory testing. It also provides maternity as well as maternal childcare services.

The personnel at the health facility work against many odds, including the high levels of insecurity in Kenya’s Baringo County, the poor road network and inaccessibility of most areas, and high levels of poverty and ignorance among the people who prefer traditional medication to modern healthcare services.

In a past interview with ACI Africa, Br. Sebastian Oteng’ele, a nurse at TDMP said that when he started working at the health facility, patients were only brought in for treatment after all traditional ways of treatment failed.

Br. Sebastian Oteng’ele of the Brothers of St. Joseph (BSJ), a nurse at Tangulbei Divisional Medical Programme (TDMP), a Catholic Mission Dispensary at St. Luke, Tangulbei Catholic Mission in Kenya's Nakuru Diocese. Credit: ACI Africa

“There were times that people brought in patients with blood smeared all over their bodies. Sometimes, a pregnant woman who had trouble giving birth would be brought to the Clinic with fresh animal intestines wrapped around her neck and wrists. The people performed their rituals before deciding to bring any of their patients to the hospital,” Br. Sebastian told ACI Africa in January 2021.

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The Kenyan member of the Brothers of St. Joseph (BSJ) said that most of the time, patients were delayed at home during the traditional medical interventions and when they were eventually brought to the clinic, it would be too late. Many of them died before they were treated.

He said that over the years the Pokot have become increasingly open to treatment at the hospital. Some, with ailments as simple as a headache caused by stress, walk for miles to seek treatment at the Dispensary.

Patients check into the health facility with various ailments including malaria, respiratory diseases, urinary tract infections, diarrhea, and skin infections, among other health challenges.

“Malaria is the most prevalent disease in Tangulbei,” Br. Sebastian told ACI Africa, explaining that the disease is transmitted by the mosquitoes found in water dams that surround the settlement.

As for respiratory complications, the BSJ member explained that Tangulbei residents become sick because they spend nights out in the cold.

“Here, not everyone spends the night in the house. Young boys and men spend the night out in the cold in the mountains while the little huts are reserved for children and women. For people born in a hot climate, any slight change in climate affects their health badly,” he said.

Credit: ACI Africa

Owing to the lack of clean water, the Pokot who walk as far as 50 kilometers in search of the valuable commodity also suffer from diarrhea and other poor hygiene complications. Extreme heat is responsible for the skin infections they come with at the clinic.

The Pokot are a marginalized tribe in Kenya and are among the poorest in the country. Most of them cannot afford medication, Fr. Atugba has said, and adds, “They find it difficult to spend the little they have in a hospital. But we never turn anyone who comes seeking treatment away. We treat most of them free of charge since we are a Church entity and we are not into making profits.”

In the April 3 interview with ACI Africa, Fr. Atugba foresees a time when the health facility will achieve 100 percent hospital deliveries in Tangulbei.

“At the moment, only three out of the 10 women that attend their antenatal clinics come to deliver at the health facility. With enough sensitization about the dangers of delivering at home, we hope to see all the 1000 or so women who come for their clinics come to deliver at the dispensary, and not just 300,” the Spiritan Priest said.