Situational Background
The World Health Organization estimated that in 2011 alone 6.9 million children under the age 5 of years died due to a lack of adequate health care. Children born in sub-Saharan African countries are 16.5 times more likely to die due to lack of medical services and essential healthcare. In the United States each year, our hospitals generate more than 2 million tons of medical waste, most of which is unused medical supplies and usable equipment.
Kenya is but one of many countries in Africa that continues to face many challenges. Affordable, quality healthcare is meager or often nonexistent in most of sub-Saharan countries, due to persistent economic problems, poor healthcare infrastructure, and health professional migration. The lack of funding, medical supplies, nurses and doctors translates to a life expectancy rate in Kenya of 57 at years at birth as compared to 79 years in the USA and 80 years in the UK. (WHO) 2011. The existing infant mortality rate in Kenya of 42 deaths per 1000 infants below 1 year according to UNICEF is unacceptable in a world where appropriate resources exist to change these statistics dramatically towards the positive.
The World Health Organization estimated that in 2011 alone 6.9 million children under the age 5 of years died due to a lack of adequate health care. Children born in sub-Saharan African countries are 16.5 times more likely to die due to lack of medical services and essential healthcare. In the United States each year, our hospitals generate more than 2 million tons of medical waste, most of which is unused medical supplies and usable equipment.
Kenya is but one of many countries in Africa that continues to face many challenges. Affordable, quality healthcare is meager or often nonexistent in most of sub-Saharan countries, due to persistent economic problems, poor healthcare infrastructure, and health professional migration. The lack of funding, medical supplies, nurses and doctors translates to a life expectancy rate in Kenya of 57 at years at birth as compared to 79 years in the USA and 80 years in the UK. (WHO) 2011. The existing infant mortality rate in Kenya of 42 deaths per 1000 infants below 1 year according to UNICEF is unacceptable in a world where appropriate resources exist to change these statistics dramatically towards the positive.
