Category: Infectious Disease

Global Health

WiRED Update on Community Health Workers in Kisumu, Kenya

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In early December the Lancet called for an urgent Africa COVID-19 plan of action to protect communities where the virus is still persistently spreading. To that end, WiRED International’s community health workers (CHWs) — graduates of WiRED’s CHW training program — continue their committed service to teach and inform communities in Kisumu, Kenya, about how to prevent and address COVID-19 and many other health concerns. WiRED CHWs provide crucial support to underserved populations with basic clinical services and in teaching first aid, health and preventative measures — knowledge that the people can then apply at home with their own families.

Global Health

Navigating Flu during COVID-19

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Getting an influenza shot is more important than ever to protect yourself, your family and your community from flu — especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is the difference between the flu and COVID-19? Both are contagious respiratory illnesses, and, although they share many symptoms, they are caused by different viruses — flu from influenza viruses and COVID-19 from the new SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Community Health Worker Related

WiRED Community Health Workers in Kenya

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WiRED International’s community health workers (CHWs) in Kisumu, Kenya, continue to be a beacon for their communities, providing guidance, information and support for health issues. Their work is particularly important in these pandemic times, as they provide health surveillance for other illnesses such as pneumonia and cholera which could be overlooked without their monitoring. From September 1 to September 27, 14 CHWs reached 6,679 people with health services on topics such as malnutrition, hypertension, pneumonia and HIV/AIDS.

Global Health

Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones

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During the COVID-19 crisis, when life can feel stressful and out of control, you have the power to protect yourself, your family and your community from some of the worst diseases on the planet.

As the world waits for a COVID-19 vaccine, it is important to remember that vaccinations can prevent more than 20 other life-threatening diseases such as polio, tetanus, diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, cancers caused by HPV, pneumonia, meningitis, shingles and more.

Community Health Worker Related

WIRED Community Health Workers Report from Kenya

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In low-resource communities around the world, people often are unsure about basic health practices, such as proper handwashing techniques and safe food preparation, much less how to protect themselves from COVID-19.

WiRED International brought our Community Health Worker (CHW) Training Program to Kisumu, Kenya earlier this year, and since then graduates of the month-long course are tending to the health of the populations they serve.

Global Health

COVID-19 and Airborne Transmission

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As much as we continue to learn about COVID-19, there is much we still don’t know.

Government guidance can be inaccurate, indecisive and even political, while the epidemiologists, scientists and world health agencies continue their research to nail down the transmission risks and prevention measures.