Medical camp reveals hidden health crisis around Mombasa's Mwakirunge dumpsite
A free medical camp in Mombasa, Kenya, revealed a significant health crisis among residents living near the Mwakirunge dumpsite. Healthcare workers treated over 630 people, primarily for respiratory infections and fungal skin diseases linked to poor environmental conditions.
Why it matters
It highlights the severe public health consequences of inadequate waste management and the lack of accessible healthcare for marginalized communities.
Mwakirunge residents during the free medical camp at Inspired Word UMC Mission Centre in Mombasa. [Eunice Omollo, Standard]
For years, many residents living around the Mwakirunge dumpsite in Mombasa County have endured illness without seeking medical care, because they cannot afford it.
That reality became evident during a three-day free medical camp that attended to more than 630 people, with respiratory infections, fungal skin diseases and chronic illnesses emerging as some of the most common conditions among residents.
The outreach, held over the weekend, brought together healthcare workers who offered medical consultations, laboratory tests, treatment, health education, mental health assessments and referrals for patients requiring specialised care.
Medical records from the camp show that 111 patients were diagnosed with upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), making it the leading illness treated during the exercise.
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