As part of the Japan Center for International Exchange’s press tour, “Japan’s Role in Global Health–Kenya Today and Tomorrow,” a delegation of five journalists from Japan met with health officials and health sector funding organizations, were briefed by embassy officials and scholars, and participated in site visits to various health projects and institutions to see how international funding is being utilized on the ground.
One highlight of their trip was a visit to a project supported by the Global Fund, the Riruta Health Centre, which provides healthcare access to the local community of 250,000 in a slum area of Nairobi. The group was accompanied by Dr. Osamu Kunii, head of the Strategy, Investment and Impact Division of the Global Fund. The center provides healthcare services to an average of 500 outpatients daily. It is operated by 51 staff and has a team of volunteers who follow up on the 2,800 people who are receiving antiretroviral treatments for HIV/AIDS and the more than 130 tuberculosis patients on the six-month treatment regimen.
Since the end of the program several articles have been published by the journalists, a number of which touch on the role being played by the Global Fund in addressing communicable diseases in Kenya. As the time for the Global Fund’s Replenishment Preparatory Meeting approaches, it is an especially crucial time to garner and maintain media attention on the work of the Global Fund.
Please visit JCIE’s page for more information and a list of articles written by the journalists.
