Nurse serving 3,000 people in Turkana wins award

A nurse in Turkana Central has been named overall winner of the November Jubilee Insurance Samaritan Award.

In a press release sent to newsrooms, JISA officials said they awarded Edward Munene for his sacrifice and selflessness in ensuring residents of Turkana have access to healthcare.

Munene who doubles up as a doctor, midwife, pharmacist, counsellor, cook, cleaner and receptionist, is a nurse at the Loreng’elup Health Centre, which serves more than 3,000 people from 11 villages in Turkana Central.

The nurse’s typical work day starts at 7am by which time patients are already queuing. He serves up to 30 patients a day and works closely with traditional doctors who are trained to perform basic medical tests and procedures.

Munene faces a myriad of challenges, among them living in a single room next to the Health Centre’s new maternity wing, having to travel to Lodwar once a month for food supplies and dealing with a poor mobile-network reception which further isolates him from his family in Nakuru.

These are the things that made him stand out and win the award.

“Munene does not know the luxury that most of his peers in the profession enjoy. He has devoted his time and skill to benefit the people of Turkana and for this reason, the judges felt that he was the best fit for this month’s award,” said JISA’s Chief Judge, Information Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications Ezekiel Mutua.

Selfless deed

The 26-year-old graduate of Murang’a Medical Training College was identified by judges from an article carried in one of the local dailies.

At the time of his nomination Munene, who delivers four or five babies on average every month, had 18 pregnant women under his care.

The award seeks to reward outstanding and selfless deeds.