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Benda N. Kithaka: Brief highlights of February

Photo taken from: Benda N. Kithaka/LinkedIn

Mar 7, 2024, 16:27

Benda N. Kithaka: Brief highlights of February

Benda N. Kithaka, Health Policy Advocate & Founder at KILELE Health, made the following post on LinkedIn:

“Hello Hello! It is March already?!
To bid February adieu, here are brief highlights of the month gone by:

Week 0 – Started the Month on High Note: Signing on the American Cancer Society as one of the partners on the Global HPV Cancer Free implementing partners. Started a project in Marsabit County – to support HPV awareness and mobilization for vaccinations.

Week 1 – Paid a courtesy call to the New CEC Health in Embu County! & participated in World Cancer Day 2024 Zoom Webinar with Kenya Society of Haematology & Oncology (KESHO) speaking on the role of Civil Society in Advocacy to close the care gap. What a Dialogue!

Week 2 – Supported by FIND, hosted 36 Delegates from 16 Countries in Nairobi for the ACHA training on Community Led Research. What a Week – we laughed, cried, learnt and grew. Now onto implementing the lessons.

Week 3 – Refurbished the Embu County Level 5 Hospital Laboratory for histopathology services. This is a strategic move to unlock county efficiencies in offering diagnostic services for us as we get into screening and access to care for cervical cancer. And opened the IHOPE medical outreach in the hospital.

Week 4 – Ended the week on high; meeting with Ministry of Health, Kenya Health Promotion Advisory Committee meeting. Also met Jody Gilman, a travelling cytologist from the US, and the Know Your Lemons Foundation team. Hosted a team from ILA and Nigeria, and attended the KENCO Dinner on Mental Wellness, where KILELEans showed up in large numbers to support mental health advocacy.

Sounds like a lot, I know (sips water)! but all so very crucial to the advocacy work we do… Anyways – here are the photos as proof that the last week happened!

Also met many collaborators, partners & new networks that will be part of our journey into the rest of the year. Suffice it to say – the digital revolution has made it possible that one can be in Nairobi, Amsterdam, Sierra Leone and Ohio in one week, and not have to suffer jetlag. I miss the travels though, seeing new people, places and experiences that come with it – jetlag would be a small price to pay.

This new month we march-forth with Confidence, knowing that 2024 is rolling full swing.”

Source: Benda N. Kithaka/LinkedIn