News & Blog Feed — AMPATH Kenya

Pediatrician Hosts Children’s Book Contest

Pediatrician Megan McHenry, MD, aims to positively impact children’s lives outside of the hospital and clinics by hosting a book writing contest to get more books for young children into Kenyan homes.

newsNewsMarch 7, 2023children, child health, youth

World Prematurity Day Promotes Skin-to-Skin Contact for Premature Babies

The USAID AMPATH Uzima program joined in commemoration of World Prematurity Day in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County. This year the aim was to promote Kangaroo Mother Care with the theme: “A parent's embrace: a powerful therapy. Enable skin-to-skin contact from the moment of birth.”

newsNewsNovember 28, 2022child health, gynecology

Keeping Cervical Cancer at Bay

As the world observed cervical cancer awareness month in January, USAID AMPATH Uzima, through its Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) project, has intensified efforts to promote the HPV vaccine for girls ages 10-14 in Trans Nzoia County.

newsNewsJanuary 30, 2022child health

USAID 4TheChild and Postbank Sign MoU to Support Children and Adolescents

USAID 4TheChild and Kenya Post Office Savings Bank (Postbank) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to come together to protect, invest in, and improve the health and education of 132,771 orphans and vulnerable children and enhance the resilience of at least 14,337 adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) against HIV/AIDS.

newsNewsJanuary 28, 2022child health

Grants Enable AMPATH Neurodevelopmental Research to Improve Care

With support from a series of new research grants, a dedicated team of AMPATH physicians and researchers aims to improve the future for children and adolescents with autism, developmental delays, and other neurological challenges in Kenya and other resource-limited areas

newsNewsDecember 17, 2021child health, research, spring2022

Health Care Work Wins Beyond Zero Award

Pamela Jepleting Maritim, a health care worker from a USAID AMPATH Uzima-supported facility, won an award at the 2021 Beyond Zero Health Awards during the Beyond Zero summit held on 3rd December 2021.

newsNewsDecember 17, 2021nursing, HIV, child health

USAID 4TheChild Co-Creation Process

USAID 4TheChild is designed to support the county governments of Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Siaya and Kisumu in attaining the national goal of addressing HIV/AIDS, safeguarding the rights and welfare of children and adolescents impacted by HIV/AIDS, and ensuring equitable access to quality primary healthcare services by the most vulnerable.

newsNewsNovember 15, 2021HIV, child health

New Partnership with USAID to support Orphans and Vulnerable Children

Moi University has received a new grant from USAID. USAID 4TheChild program aims to reach over 152,000 orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in households affected by HIV and AIDS in Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Kisumu and Siaya counties..

newsNewsJune 29, 2021hiv, child health, fall2021, HIV

Sally Test Child Life Program Update

Many AMPATH supporters fondly recall days spent with the children at the Sally Test Child Life Program, the first child life program in Kenya, started by Sarah Ellen Mamlin. She spoke with the program’s director, Ernest Kirui, and shared these updates.

newsNewsJune 28, 2021child health, hiv

Interactive Resource Map Assists Kenyans with Disabilities

IU School of Medicine student Mary Ann Etling worked with pediatricians Dr. Eren Oyungu from Moi University School of Medicine in Kenya and Dr. Megan McHenry from IU School of Medicine as well as Moi medical student, Michael Musili, to develop an interactive map of organizations and resources for children with disabilities in Kenya.

newsNewsMay 26, 2021child health, chronic diseases, supportive services

AMPATH Welcomes New Team Leaders and Fellow

The coronavirus pandemic currently prevents AMPATH’s North American faculty from travelling to Kenya, so new team leaders Dan Guiles, MD, MPHTM, and Brianne Lewis, MD, FRCSC, serve their local communities while eagerly anticipating the day they can commence in person collaboration with their colleagues at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) and Moi University School of Medicine.

newsNewsSeptember 3, 2020child health, obstetrics, children, people

COVID-19 Creates Double Burden for Young Kenyan Cancer Patients

Fears of contracting COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders impact everyone, but children being treated for cancer in Kenya now face an unimaginable double burden. AMPATH Oncology’s Burkitt and Lymphoma Program (BLP), working in partnership with Takeda Pharmaceuticals, helps to ease some of that burden for patients and their families through innovative interventions and solutions.

newsNewsJuly 23, 2020covid-19, cancer, child health

Donor Spotlight: The Test Family

The name Sally Test has become synonymous with the child life program that provides educational and recreational activities for children at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) and Shoe4Africa Children’s Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya. This summer, for the first time, members of the Test family visited the center named after their matriarch.

blogNewsAugust 29, 2019child health

People of AMPATH: Terry Vik, MD, pediatric oncologist and Fulbright Scholar

Terry Vik, MD, a pediatric hematologist-oncologist at Indiana University School of Medicine and Riley Hospital for Children, will travel to Kenya later this summer as a Fulbright Scholar. His Fulbright award will enable him to train the first class of pediatric hematology-oncology fellows and conduct research.

newsNewsJune 25, 2019cancer, child health

The Birth of the AMPATH Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Program

The AMPATH Maternal, Newborn and Child Health team is implementing three interventions that seek to promote peer support and accountability: community clubs for pregnant and breastfeeding women (chamas), integrated group care for pregnant women and infants (Afya Jamii), and smartphones for use by Community Health Volunteers.

newsNewsJune 17, 2019maternal health, child health

People of AMPATH: In Memory of Jayne Njeri Kamau

Jayne Njeri Kamau was an outstanding child life specialist in AMPATH’s Sally Test Child Life Program. Jane was returning to Eldoret from a pediatric cancer conference and was a passenger aboard the Ethiopian Airlines jet that crashed on March 10. Our AMPATH family mourns Jayne’s loss and offers condolences to her family, friends, co-workers, and the patients and families she served.

newsNewsMarch 27, 2019child health

Parenting Well Programs (Malezi Mema) Take Off

Malezi Mema (“Parenting Well” in Swahili) is a growing AMPATH initiative designed to teach parenting skills and ultimately, to improve health for children and families.

newsNewsJanuary 1, 2018child health, maternal health