Palliative care is more than hospice; it optimizes symptom management, nurtures spiritual support, and provides psychosocial services for people with life-threatening illnesses. AMPATH aims to develop new ways to minimize pain and suffering, given the limited resources within western Kenya. In addition, we help train professionals in symptom management and compassionate communication to be able to help patients and their families through the difficult decisions that arise when faced with a terminal diagnosis.

Approximately half of the world's population is at risk of malaria, but the most malaria cases and deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. Insecticide-treated bed nets have been shown to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality by 25%, especially in children under two years old. AMPATH-trained community workers distribute these nets as part of our home-based counseling and testing program. It’s one of the simplest ways to prevent deadly disease.

Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV co-infections can threaten patient’s live and place an immense burden on health care systems. Prevention and timely treatment is essential, so all AMPATH HIV patients are regularly screened for HIV. Community health workers are the first line of defense for tuberculosis in Kenya. We work to train those workers to find symptoms of TB and go door-to-door to test for it in the homes of people who can’t visit Moi Hospital facilities. Those diagnoses help not only the patients themselves, but also prevent the spread of TB in Kenya.

Oral health is a component of AMPATH’s primary care work and training Kenyans and North Americans. The Moi University School of Dentistry opened in 2007 and has collaborated with partners to conduct community and school-based dental health programs, assess children’s oral health and conduct research on Kenya’s fluoride distribution. Moi University dentistry students participate in AMPATH facilitated training and annual student exchanges.