More than 100 residents of Wajir received free medical care during a medical camp organized by the wajir catholic dispensary in collaboration with the Health Association of Sisterhoods of Kenya (HASK) on September 20.
The one-day outreach, held at the dispensary grounds, began with a health education session led by Sr Jerusha Ncabani and Sr Celine Siratei (HASK Staff) , followed by a range of free medical services including screening for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Sr. Jerusha, director of HASK , highlighted the importance of the initiative in promoting preventive healthcare in marginalized communities.“Today we had this outreach in collaboration with wajir catholic dispensary. We are focused on education, screening, and awareness,especially on non-communicable diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure,” She said.“our health is our wealth. If we have healthy people, we will have a healthy nation. We thank sr. Rosemary and the team for organizing this impactful event.”
Hask is a non-profit network that brings together 125 catholic sister-run health facilities across kenya. It is funded by the conrad N. Hilton foundation and works to improve accessibility, affordability, and inclusivity in healthcare, particularly for marginalized populations.
Sr. Rosemary Ndambiri, the in-charge of wajir catholic dispensary, expressed her gratitude for the support from hask.“our facility is owned by the Catholic Diocese of Garissa and managed by the Camilian sisters. Today, we are grateful for the support from HASK who sponsored this free medical camp. We served over 100 people,” She said.“in future, we appeal to HASK and other partners to support us with supplements and feeding programs, especially during droughts, since wajir is a semi-arid area. We are also in need of modern medical equipment to serve our growing community more effectively.”
Wajir catholic dispensary, established in 1976, has served as a lifeline for the local community for nearly five decades. Habon Mohamed Sheik, a government nutritionist seconded by wajir county to the dispensary, emphasized the ongoing challenges faced in child nutrition.“There’s a challenge of well-balanced diets, which leads to malnourished children. We try our best to help, and it’s a joy seeing milestones,especially in children,” She said.“Today’s free medical camp was well-received. Many people were screened for blood pressure and diabetes and received free medication. We appeal to well-wishers to support with essential drugs that many patients can’t afford.”
Residents expressed appreciation for the services. Monica Gafo, a local beneficiary, shared her gratitude.“wajir catholic dispensary is very helpful to us. We are so happy for the free treatment today, and we pray these medical camps continue,” She said.“sometimes we don’t have money to go to the hospital, but today we’ve been treated. Thank you to everyone who made this possible.”
The medical camp served as a reminder of the critical role that faith-based health facilities play in under-served regions like wajir. With support from organizations such as HASK,and the dedication of local health workers, many lives continue to be touched through compassionate, affordable, and accessible healthcare.The organizers hope that more partners and well-wishers will come forward to sustain and expand such life-changing initiatives in the future.
