Tenwek Hospital

Bomet County, Kenya, is located in the Rift Valley region northeast of Nairobi and just east of Lake Victoria. The altitude varies from 5000 to 9000 above sea level. Average temperatures in Bomet County are between 28-32 degrees Celsius (82-86 degrees Fahrenheit). During the cold months, temperatures reduces to as low as 13 degrees Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit). On average, the warmest month is March and coolest month is August. The rainfall patterns are distributed well throughouta the year.

The topography of the area is moderately steep, an attribute that promotes horticulture and dairy cattle keeping. The main backbone of the economy of Bomet County is derived from the sale of tea produced for local and international markets. Tourism also contributes to the economy as visitors are drawn to sceneries such as Olambwe Valley forest, Kariandusi Prehistoric sites, Langa Langa racing circuit, Mariwa Archaeological Reserve and Maasai Mara Game Reserve.

Become familiar with Kenya’s culture, history and economy by reviewing the Wikipedia Kenya Profile. Rich resources for Kenya health information include the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation IHME Kenya Country Profile and the World Health Organization Global Health Observatory Kenya Data.

This region of the Rift Valley is home to the Kipsigis people – a dominant tribe. The other tribal group is the Maasai – proud, bold nomadic cattle herders who own large collective tracts of land. The area had no electricity service until 1980. Roads are still sparse. Most people live via subsistence farming amid great poverty.

All hospital business is conducted in English. Half of patients speak English, and half speak only Kipsigis. A lesser number speak Ma and Swahili. Hospital staff is available to provide interpretation.

In 1935, the Colonial Kenyan government granted 10 acres to World Gospel Mission where Catherine Smith began treating illnesses and delivering babies. In the decades since that time, Tenwek Hospital has grown in every dimension, while maintaining their position that We Treat – Jesus Heals.

Comprehensive outpatient and inpatient care is provided in all the major fields, including pediatrics, internal medicine, general and orthopedic surgery, ophthalmology, and emergency medicine. Obstetrics and gynecology are particularly active, providing family planning, cancer screening, limited fertility and cancer treatment, and approximately 3000 deliveries each year, with a Caesarean section rate of 22 to 28 percent.

Medical care is supported by an electronic medical record system, full radiology and ultrasound, CT, echocardiography, comprehensive laboratory including microbiology, and endoscopy.

Tenwek Hospice was established in 2001 in response to a great need to care for people with terminal illnesses, especially the growing number of people living with HIV/AIDS. A team of trained hospice nurses make hundreds of home visits each year at no charge, reaching out to patients and families with terminal illnesses to help them have a comfortable and dignified end to their lives.

Tenwek enjoys healthcare profession leadership from both Kenyan and international personnel. The majority of the latter are American, and represented specialties include family medicine, internal medicine, infectious diseases, pediatrics, general surgery, and orthopedics.

Tenwek Hospital hosts grant-funded HIV services that include:

• Volunteer Counseling and Testing (VCT)
• Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission
• Training of teachers and students via the TCHD public health initiative Why Wait – an abstinence based, biblical character formation curriculum
• ART therapy and management of AIDS complications
• Mobilizing and assisting the churches to care for AIDS orphans

Disabilities represent a vast and largely unattended human need in Kenya, addressed by Tenwek Hospital’s basic physical therapy services.

Tenwek Community Health and Development (TCHD) was founded in 1983 with the simple mission of eliminating childhood infectious diseases.  This dream has been realized and expanded such that TCHD is, today, a leading development agency in the South Rift Valley region, continuing under the motto Bir Mat Ko Loo – Prevention is Better Than Cure. Students are welcome to participate in public health initiatives, which include:

• Provision of safe and accessible water and sanitation via bio-sand water filters, construction of rain water holding tanks at area schools, capping of natural springs, construction of pit latrines, and personal hygiene training for primary school children.
• Material child health promotion via immunization and antenatal care clinics and preventative health education through community resource persons.
• Green House Training that encourages community empowerment through leadership training, financial accountability, and local cooperative efforts.

INMED invites all participants to consider raising extra funds to donate to support this facility. While such efforts are not required, they will provide opportunities for INMED personnel to become involved in this important aspect of international healthcare.

Wi-fi is available in the hospital and guesthouses for a small fee. Visitors may be given cell phones to facilitate their hospital responsibilities.

Tenwek Hospital