Center for Health Market Innovations (CHMI)

Programs

UHAI

last updated Jan 20, 2012

Overview

Implementing organization: 
UHAI for Health
Year Launched: 
2010
Stage: 
Existing/expansion stage
Income Level of Target Population: 
Bottom 20%

Funding

Primary Source of Funding: 
Donor
Summary: 

Uhai is a Swahili word for "life". The project has the aim of improving the lives of the marginalized African population in Kenya through health education and promotion, research, screening and referral.

Program goals/rationale: 

According to research, immigrant populations are vulnerable to health disparities and they disproportionately suffer from many serious diseases while experiencing significantly worse health outcomes than non-migrants. Africa's health problems are getting worse, especially with the rise of chronic and life style diseases. Disease screening, patient education and referral for follow up can improve the health of the poor and marginalized populations that may otherwise have little or no access to healthcare.

According to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 2635 Kenyan women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year, with 2,111 dying from the disease making it the most prevalent cancer among women in the country. About 38.8 percent of women in the general population are estimated to harbor cervical Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which infection is the leading cause of cervical cancer.

UHAI for Health endeavors to achieve the following Goals and Objectives:

1) To work with the African community to promote education and awareness about preventable health conditions and to connect people to medical services.

2) To promote health awareness, conduct medical screenings, and to connect communities to health services in Kenya.

3) To increase the skills of community health workers and educators in Kenya.

4) To research cultural and structural barriers that prevent people from accessing screenings and services.

Key program components: 

The focus areas of UHAI are:

Chronic Diseases

The prevalence of diabetes in Kenya is approximately 10% in the adult population compared with 6% having HIV/AIDS. Despite these large numbers, there has been very little governmental and non-governmental support on diabetes self-management skills. The majority of patients with diabetes were often unaware of their conditions and are thus diagnosed in later stages when it is too late and life threatening complications such as kidney failure, heart attacks and blindness have set in. Since these have long been considered lifestyle diseases associated with the rich, medical services in Kenya to manage them are too expensive and remain out of reach for the poor. Drugs to manage diabetes or hypertension are expensive making it difficult for the poor in the villages to manage their health conditions. While some of these conditions can be managed by life style changes and education, there are no programs in the communities structured to educating the public about these conditions.The goal is to educate the people so that they can best manage their conditions with little assistance. All these conditions can be prevented, with lifestyle behavior changes, diabetes hypertension and other chronic diseases can be prevented and/or managed.

Women's Health

In the African community, the woman is referred to as the back bone of the family and therefore her overall health is very important. Still, women are known for taking care of everyone else first while neglecting themselves. This can be prevented by encouraging women to have annual medical check ups by a doctor. Some of the screening and health education that UHAI for Health Inc will conduct to promote women’s health includes:

  • Cervical cancer screening: Depending on the locations, VIA/VILLI or pap smear exams will be used to check for any cervical abnormalities.

  • Breast Cancer Screening through Clinical breast exams.

  • Health education covering the life span of the women: hormones, pregnancy, family planning, preconception care, diet and exercise, mental health.

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