Brittany presenting on nutrition and healthy lifestyles
Published July 1, 2015, last updated on October 5, 2017 under Voices of DGHI
By Sonia Hatfield
The Bass Team set out bright and early to attend one of Penda Medical Center’s community health events. We had spent the past semester studying the role small social entrepreneurs play in Kenya’s health care sector, with a special emphasis on Penda. After spending months studying Penda’s business model and community outreach efforts, it was incredibly exciting to finally see it in action!
The community health event was held at the National Cereal and Produce Board, located in an industrial area of Nairobi. We were led inside to a large conference room, where chairs and a projector were set up. The Penda staff introduced themselves, and included two clinical officers from Umoja: one medical and one dental, and other team members involved with community outreach. When the Penda staff learned of the Bass Team’s diverse backgrounds and skill sets, they immediately put us to work! Brittany, a PhD student and pediatric nurse was tasked with leading the nutrition presentation. Jun, a PhD student in cancer biology and pharmacology was tasked with leading the cancer presentation. Penda had teamed up with the National Cereal and Produce Board’s Wellness Director, in order to raise awareness among the employees of healthy behaviors and preventative health care.
The Penda team kicked off the event by asking the audience if they knew what stress was, and how they expressed stress. The Penda staff then launched into a discussion about how stress can affect your overall health, and that it’s important to find healthy ways to cope with it. After the stress talk, Jun stood up to lead the cancer awareness presentation. She described how cancer originates in the body, and what the signs are that someone might have cancer. She stressed the importance of frequent screening. Then Brittany led the nutrition discussion, explaining that everyone needed to be careful of their sugar consumption by limiting sugar and carbohydrates in the diet and introducing more vegetables and protein. She also talked about bringing in exercise to your routine. The audience had many questions for Brittany and Jun, and it really showed how interested people were in their own nutrition and health.
After the presentations the Penda staff broke out into three stations: vitals, breast exams, and dental checks. Employees could wait in line and receive check ups in all three areas. Penda hosts these community events in order to raise awareness about preventative health care, but also to advertise their services and find new customers. Overall, the event encouraged more open discussion on preventative healthcare and healthy lifestyles, and hopefully promoted an environment where people feel comfortable seeking healthcare.
