A young trainee doctor has travelled from Sunderland to Kenya, a round trip of almost 14,000 miles, to discover more about the challenges of international healthcare, and to help educate young women and girls.
Ella McLaughlin, 23, from York, is in the final year of her Medicine degree at the University of Sunderland.
In addition to her studies, Ella decided she wanted to experience healthcare abroad, and this summer spent two weeks in Nanyuki in Kenya, working both in a hospital, out in the community, and at a local school.
She was able to take the long journey to Kenya thanks to the University of Sunderland’s Futures Fund, a scholarship which supports current Sunderland students to develop their careers and aspirations.
It was, Ella says, a completely new, and very unnerving, experience travelling alone to a completely unknown country. “I was extremely nervous,” she admits. “I had never done anything like this before, and I was truly out of my comfort zone.”
After arriving in Kenya, Ella took a three-hour ride to the town of Nanyuki, near Mount Kenya, her main destination. Here, she had a swift tour followed by a Swahili lesson, and then was straight in at the deep end of medicine abroad.
Over the following few days she travelled to the rural village of Tang Nyeusi, to help out in an outreach clinic there.
“These clinics are set up in areas where health care is not easily accessed,” she says. “Tang Nyeusi is over a 10-kilometre walk to the nearest pharmacy, and they aren’t able to see a doctor or even a nurse.”
Ella and other volunteers set up a health clinic in a small shed with a triage area for taking patients’ temperature and blood pressure, an area for children where their heights and arm circumferences were measured to assess for malnutrition, and a final area for medication and treatment.
As part of her trip Ella wanted to share some of her knowledge with young women: “I have an interest in obstetrics and gynaecology, and I am particularly keen on education in menstrual health.”
Ella was supported by Kiki and Green, a company who specialise in producing reusable sanitary pads, who supplied her with 150 reusable sanitary pads to give out to girls and young women – support that Ella soon discovered was desperately needed.
“I travelled to Uaso Nyiro Primary School where, with members of Projects Abroad, we gave a talk to children aged 10-15 on puberty, menstruation, and consent.
“This was eye-opening, as many girls were told they could not attend school during their periods, having been told they were ‘dirty.’
“A lot of children come from tribal backgrounds which have certain traditional and patriarchal values which don’t always value women.
“I discovered that some schoolgirls were made to sit over a hole in the ground until their period was over. Following the talk, I was able to hand out donations of reusable pads to over 70 girls.
“I also brought several schoolbooks for the younger children to aid with their reading and English.
“Throughout the day both the children and teachers were all so grateful. The entire day was so heartwarming and emotional.
“I also took part in administering the HPV vaccine to girls aged 10-12, helping to address the rising incidence of cervical cancer across Kenya.”
For the rest of her trip Ella worked at Nanyuki Teaching Hospital, splitting her time between A&E, the newborn baby unit, and the maternity unit.
“I was astonished to discover that there was only one doctor on duty for the whole of A&E,” admits Ella.
“It was also very unsettling to discover that newborn babies were sharing cots – sometimes three to a cot.
“Another aspect that shook me was the fact that maternal deaths were just accepted and not questioned.
“Deaths were spoken about like it was the norm and was almost expected in some cases. The high instance of maternal deaths really alarmed me.
“Unlike the UK, healthcare in Kenya is not free. There is a national health insurance (NHI) scheme which most people opt in for, which after a monthly fee, the cost is covered. However, some people cannot afford the NHI.
“I met a patient who had recently given birth and had been told she needed to have anti-D. These injections are crucial during pregnancy for preventing a condition known as hemolytic disease of the newborn, which can occur when there is blood group incompatibility between the mother and baby.
“These conditions can lead to anemia, heart failure, jaundice, brain damage or even death of the baby.
“In the UK the medication is given as a matter of course, without consideration of cost.
“It was only £30 – but that was too much for this patient. I paid it, and she became very emotional and was extremely grateful.
“Helping the patient afford the medication was a humbling experience. It made me realise how much we take for granted in countries with accessible healthcare systems.
“This encounter solidified my desire to ensure that my future work in healthcare is not just about treating patients, but about advocating for fair access to essential medical care.”
Now Ella has returned home and is back on the wards of Sunderland Royal Hospital. She is hoping to stay in the north-east after she graduates next year but admits that her time in Kenya will stay with her for the rest of her life.
“Going to Kenya profoundly shaped my understanding of healthcare and global health disparities,” she says.
“I now have a deeper appreciation for the resources available in the NHS and a renewed commitment to promoting accessible healthcare for all.
“This experience not only strengthened my desire to become a healthcare provider but also opened my eyes to the global responsibility we have in ensuring no one is denied basic healthcare due to a lack of resources.”
If you would like to find out more about Medicine and related healthcare courses at the University of Sunderland, go to sunderland.ac.uk.