Healthcare should be a basic right, not a privilege. However, millions of people worldwide still struggle to access essential healthcare services. According to the 2023 report from the WHO, approximately 1 billion individuals are at risk of falling into poverty due to spending over 10% of their household income on healthcare. The underserved communities face an even tougher situation, with more people declining further into poverty. To address this issue, EquiHealth Global is committed to innovating in the social sector by creating a product that enables people to contribute to delivering Comprehensive Primary Health Care to thousands in need. In many communities, access to medical, dental, vision, nutritional, and mental health services is limited to those who can afford it. EquiHealth’s goal is to provide care to as many patients as possible within a fiscal year. This year, the organization aims to offer care to 5,000 patients in underserved and marginalized communities. The innovative program plans to deliver comprehensive primary care for just $15 per patient through scheduled Medical Missions in different communities annually. Currently, active programs are running in Raleigh, USA and various counties in Kenya, with plans to expand to more communities in the future.
Our recent December Medical Mission which attended to 150 patients in Gikindu Location, Murang’a County saw that more than 90% of the patients earn less than $600 annually. We treated many chronic conditions including hypertension, diabetes, arthritis among others which places a huge strain on many families as they have to buy prescription drugs for these conditions. For most, this adds an extra Kshs 2,000 ($20) to their monthly spending, not counting the trip to and fro the hospitals seeking care. Through our program, we were able to provide medication that would last them at least 2 months. This is not always the case as sometimes we do not have the medication that the patients have been prescribed.
Our Comprehensive Care Package
Our $15 primary care package is made possible by bringing together healthcare professionals who have a heart to serve in the most needy communities. These professionals volunteer their time and expertise in order to deliver care and education to many within the community who do not have access to such services. The Comprehensive Primary Care Package is designed to cover all the basic healthcare services that an individual might need. The idea of Comprehensive Care begun after we realized that most patients present to the camp with a myriad of conditions which require more than one approach to manage. It usually takes a combination of strategies including medication, diet, management of stress and other mental health conditions among others.
The Comprehensive Care Package includes:
Medical Care The cornerstone of our comprehensive care package is medical care, which includes prescription medications. Our team of dedicated professionals is committed to providing the highest level of medical care to our patients, regardless of their ability to pay.
Dental Care Oral health is often overlooked, but it’s an integral part of overall health. Our primary care package includes dental care to ensure our patients have access to dental check-ups and necessary dental procedures. For some of the communities in which we conduct our programs, this is the only advanced dental care that they will get in their whole lifetime.
Vision Care Eye health is another crucial aspect of our comprehensive care package. Regular eye exams can detect a variety of eye conditions before they become problematic. Our vision care ensures that our patients have access to these preventative measures.
Nutrition: Healthy Food Bags and Education Healthy eating is key to maintaining good health. That’s why our comprehensive care package includes healthy food bags along with nutritional education. We believe that education empowers individuals to make healthier choices, which in turn improves their overall health and well-being. Our nutritious and healthy food bags contain a well-balanced diet that lasts families of 4 for a period of 2-3 weeks.
Mental Health & Spiritual Counseling Mental health is just as important as physical health. Our comprehensive care package includes mental health and spiritual counseling to provide support for emotional and mental wellbeing, in addition to physical health. We recruit pastors and train them on the basics of counseling, while equipping them with the tools needed for them to offer lasting support to the community. Pastors are a great resource for our camp, as they are the spiritual leaders who are able to help infuse hope into discouragement and despair.
Basic Laboratory Testing Effective healthcare is not just about treating symptoms; it’s about preventing illness. To achieve this, our comprehensive care package includes basic lab testing to diagnose conditions early and start treatment as soon as possible. We conduct sugar testing, urinalysis, among other basic tests needed to make an accurate diagnosis. In the future, we plan to have a mobile laboratory unit that will travel to communities to provide this care.
When a patient attends our medical mission camps, they have access to all our providers and care. The average person spends about 45 mins to an hour to get all this care. At the end of their experience, they receive a wellness bag that has the food items, a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, a mental wellness card, a New Testament Bible, and a pair of reading glasses if they have such a need.
How you can help
With your support, we can keep delivering these vital services to those who need them the most. Every contribution, no matter how small, can have a profound impact on someone’s life. Our goal is to raise enough funding to provide Comprehensive Primary Care to 5,000 patients in different communities in 2024. Tap the button below and make a donation now. Together, we can ensure healthcare is accessible to everyone.