BEN EDENSETING: THE UDUNG UKO RENAISSANCE MAN (PART TWO)

Whereas, we last week made a post on Engr. Ben
Edenseting’s aspiration where his blueprints were
enumerated and his statement of focus was laid
bare for public observation. In weeks to come, we
will be analyzing each of the projects as pre-listed
and the importance attached to them.

Here we go…

• FUNCTIONAL DISPENSARIES IN ALL THE WARDS
A dispensary, which can be used synonymously
with clinic or Primary Healthcare, is a room where
medicines are prepared and provided and where
people are given urgent treatment. To be more
knowledgeable in this regard, see how Wikipedia
describes a dispensary: “…an office in a school,
hospital, industrial plant, or other organization that
dispenses medications, medical supplies, and in
some cases even medical and dental treatment.

In a traditional dispensary set-up, a pharmacist
dispenses medication as per prescription or order
form”.

It further states (from a Kenyan perspective) that “a
dispensary is a small outpatient health facility,
usually managed by a registered nurse. It provides
the most basic primary healthcare services to rural
communities, e.g. childhood immunization, family
planning, wound dressing and management of
common ailments like colds, diarrhea and simple
malaria.

The nurses report to the nursing officer at
the health center, where they refer patients with
complicated diseases to be managed by clinical
officers”.

By his exposure, Engr. Edenseting adds one
essential thing to his various believes and driving
forces – the axiom “health is wealth” rings so loud
a bell in his consciousness. He believes so much
in the words of Arlen Specter “There is nothing
more important than our good health – that’s our
principal capital asset”.

This is what propels him
to grieve so much when he sees his people in
pains caused by illnesses especially the minor
ones hence, the idea of a dispensary.

In rural settings, one cannot deny the necessity of
a dispensary (Primary Health Facility). Cases of
death are reported from minor issues where later
findings always reveal that most circumstances
that lead to these deaths are 90 percent avertable
with swift medical attention.
For instance in Udung Uko, a place where people
predominantly engage in rigorous and risky
activities - a place where the patients outnumber
the available health facilities, Engr. Ben Edenseting
sees the idea of dispensaries in every ward as a
step towards getting speedy medical attention,
safety, and consequently good health much closer
to the people.

Publilius Syrus, in his ancient wisdom once said
“good health and good sense are two of life’s
greatest blessings”.

Fellow citizens of Udung Uko,
here is a chance for good health lying literally
before us, I enjoin us to apply good sense with
regards to this.

• Think a healthy Udung Uko!

• Think a New Udung Uko!

• Think Engr. Ben Edenseting!