By Grace Gilo
Over 17,000 residents of Isiolo and Laikipia counties received free medical care from a medical outreach programme led by the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK) in collaboration with the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
The outreach was also in partnership with the Isiolo County Referral Hospital, Beyond Zero and the LEO Project.
The free medical services happened during this year’s annual medical outreach by the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK).
The five-week joint exercise, dubbed Exercise Haraka Serpent, involved the delivery of health clinics and health education in 11 remote locations.
Among the 17,494 people who turned up for the free medical clinics; over 5,000 required treatments of those treated 614 were children under 5.
“The British and KDF soldiers worked alongside both hospitals and non-governmental organisations to set up the clinics in places where residents normally struggle to access treatment,” read the statement in part from the UK government’s website.
“It was great to see our team work together with our Kenyan partners, both civilian and military. Delivering healthcare to such a diverse range of patients is of enormous benefit to our soldiers and it’s great to also give something back to the local community,” Col Edd Gordon MStJ, Commanding Officer 215 (Sc) MMR, said at the end of the exercise.
“Our militaries train and operate together not only to fight terrorism but also to share expertise, experience and techniques, making both of our armies more effective. The joint medical exercise offers an opportunity for medical regiments within the military to do give back to communities living in and around BATUK training areas,” added British High Commission Defence Advisor, Brigadier Olly Bryant.
The medical outreach activities provided vital medical services to communities living in and around Kinna, Isiolo town, and Nanyuki who would otherwise not be able to access medical diagnosis and treatment.
Additionally, the British High Commission said that the team offered preventive, diagnostic, and curative healthcare interventions such as monitoring nutrition problems and supporting communities with health checks, dental treatment, ophthalmology, and health education sessions.
The British Army and KDF also shared their experiences and practices from their varied medical training, field exercises and operational deployments.
The British and Kenyan teams compared their drills and techniques as well as reviewed the range of medical equipment each carried.