Building Healthy Futures: Growth Monitoring at HopeCore
During each of our MCH (Maternal & Child Health) Clinics, children under 5 years take part in growth monitoring. Growth monitoring involves the measurement of height, weight, and head circumference. The numbers are then compared to the WHO growth standards to ensure the child is growing well. The Health Field Officers input the numbers in our CommCare android application which gives immediate feedback on the state of the child. The Health Field Officer proceeds to advise the mother on the progress of the child and counsel the mother if the child is underweight or stunted. If the child registers as severely underweight, severely stunted or shows signs of microcephaly, they are referred to a health facility for further assistance.
Growth monitoring: Mercy Muthoni measures the height of a young girl at one of the mobile Sunday Maternal-Child Health clinics.
Our Health Field Officers and a Community Health Volunteer share stories of malnourished children that they helped follow up:
Monica Wanja, Health Field Officer
During an MCH at Katharaka Primary, I conducted growth monitoring of children under 5 years. I met an eight-year-old who was 61 cm tall and weighed 6.2kg. This meant that he was below -3 on the UNICEFs Growth Charts. I communicated this to her grandmother who was also the guardian. The grandmother informed me that she had become his guardian after the passing of his mother during delivery. I counseled the mother on nutrition and then referred her to Kiini Health Centre for further guidance and to pick nutritional supplements.
I contacted the grandmother after one month and she reported that the child was making very good progress and had improved to 8.2kg. She is now a very happy grandmother.
Growth monitoring: Monica Wanja registering clients during a health fair in Ntakani
Esther Mukami, Health Field Officer
Goodwin Munene started visiting Village HopeCore at the age of 2 years. He was 6.8 kg then. I referred him for nutritional supplements. During the first month, he added 1.5 kg. This new weight gain gave him the strength to start walking again.
Since then, Goodwin has been visiting our clinics and was last weighed at 16 kg. Goodwin is expecting to join primary school next year.
Mukami is helping out with growth monitoring stations at the mobile clinics
Elizabeth Mukulu Gitonga, HopeCore Community Health Volunteer
A Real Success Story!
First, let me thank HopeCore for the great concern that you took towards the twin boys. After visiting the family, I found these two boys of age 4 years enclosed in the house. The boys were malnourished with MUAC (Middle Upper Arm Circumference) in the red zone. After informing one of HopeCore staff, by name Mercy Muthoni, she together with other HopeCore workers visited the homestead and advocated for the boys to be taken to the hospital. They were admitted for 2 weeks at the Magutuni health facility and were given nutritional monitoring. Afterward, they were discharged and given porridge flour which after taking for 2 months I went for a home visit and MUAC was reading in the green zone. So there is a great improvement and I, the Elizabeth Mukulu Mutunga of Magutuni CU, Mugero Village thank HopeCore for saving souls through your devoted work of caring for people's health.
Mobile Health Clinics Kenya: A father takes his child to HopeCore's growth monitoring clinic
These stories are just a snippet of the incredible work done by our Health Field officers and Community Health Volunteers. During our MCH Clinics in 2019, we conducted growth monitoring of 6629 children. Community Volunteers have, during home visits, conducted growth monitoring for 6324 children.
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Kenya Healthcare: Two children receiving free healthcare and growth monitoring at HopeCore's Sunday clinic last month
Asante Sana for your support!
