A few weeks ago, the New York Times published an article about the rise of drug-resistant bacteria in Kenya. Poor sanitation, cheap medication, unregulated prescription and unsafe antibiotic use have all contributed to the spread of bacterial infections that no longer respond to standard antibiotic treatment.
Before you dive in (and you really should – it’s a fascinating article about a problem with global consequences) here are a few notes about some of the people and places mentioned in the article, and what role Banda Health has to play in addressing this crisis.
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The “chemists” (drug vendors), the clinic and the hospital described in this article are exactly the kinds of organizations Banda Health exists to serve. And Kibera, the low-income residential area described in this article, is exactly the kind of community we exist to serve. In fact, we already have a clinic in Kibera that has signed up and will be coming online with Banda Go in the next few weeks.
Kijabe Hospital, described in the article as “one of Kenya’s best hospitals,” is where Steve has been involved training doctors since 2006. Dr. Mbugua and Dr. Otieno trained at Kijabe and now work there. Kijabe Hospital has been using Banda Health’s Inpatient Medicine database since November 2018.
Dr. Evelyn Mbugua and Dr. George Otieno
Banda Health can help stem the tide of drug-resistant bacteria in a number of ways, but one of the most important is by providing much-needed health data to the public health sector.
Banda Go helps clinics answer their #1 felt need: financial sustainability, helping them improve care for the patients that come through their doors. Banda Go also helps these clinics contribute to the improvement of health at community and global levels, providing anonymous, secure health metadata on prescription trends, disease prevalence, health outcomes, and health costs in the informal health sector described in the article. This kind of data is almost impossible to collect at scale in communities like Kibera – but it is absolutely fundamental to the research, health policy, education initiatives and funding decisions that will be necessary to address this crisis.
It will be small steps at first – a handful of clinics turning their businesses around, providing a higher standard of care to their local communities. But as we grow, an expanding network of clinics powered by Banda Go will churn out secure, anonymized health data with the potential to impact communities far beyond their own.
Banda Go is our baby, and it’s taking a global village to raise it. Thanks for being a part of that village!
Amy is a strategist in the life sciences industry. She currently works for the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany as the Head of Segments Excellence. She previously held positions as the Head of the CEO office and Associate Director of Global Strategy. Amy also worked for McKinsey & Company and Booz & Company as a management consultant and had served a wide range of clients in the biopharmaceutical industry.
Michael works closely with Jeremy, helping clinics get started with Banda Go. He joined Banda Health after gaining initial work experience in IT support and data management. He graduated from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology with a bachelors in mathematics and computer science.
Michael’s personal healthcare hero is Dominic Ngalo, a data analyst at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi.
Nelly is our “concepts expert.” She ensures that all the necessary terms for our clinical modules are mapped and submitted to CIEL (concept dictionary). She’s a clinical epidemiologist with a master’s degree in epidemiology and disease control.
Nelly’s personal healthcare hero is Dr. Steve Letchford at Kijabe Hospital.
Bruce provides Banda Health with much-needed support as a clinical consultant based in Kabarak, Kenya, where he heads the Department of Family Medicine and Community Care. He’s also the director of the Digital African Health Library project and development director for Institute of Family Medicine in Nairobi.
Bruce’s personal healthcare hero is Dr. Peter Okaalet, the spiritual coordinator at Kabarak University in Kenya.
Kevin is undoubtedly our most outgoing developer! Before joining Banda Health, he spent 5 years in software consulting, working as a developer and manager at Pariveda Solutions. He completed his bachelor’s in aerospace enginnering at the University of Texas.
Kevin’s personal healthcare hero is Kate B., a physical therapist at Evangel VVF Center in Jos, Nigeria.
Jessica keeps the team organized. Whether it’s filing tax forms or preparing board reports, she makes sure it gets done on time! Before joining Banda Health, Jessica used her organization skills at a soccer start-up in Germany. She graduated from Yale University with a bachelor’s in Ethics, Politics and Economics and completed her master’s in International Relations at the Free University of Berlin.
Jessica’s personal healthcare hero is Jairos Fumpa, a cataract surgeon at Mukinge Mission Hospital in Zambia.
Thomas spends most of his time thinking about money – specifically, how he can get more of it to fund the work at Banda Health. He loves discussing big ideas, especially when they relate to good, affordable healthcare for everyone. In addition to fundraising, he helps push the envelope of BH strategy. Thomas received his bachelor’s in Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University.
Thomas’ personal healthcare hero is James Wanjiru, a nurse at Kijabe Hospital in central Kenya.
Kelly brings 6 years of experience as a system administrator managing server infrastructures and PC operations across multiple platforms (Unix, Linux, Windows). He has a bachelor’s degree in IT from KCA University and a diploma degree in IT from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Kelly’s personal healthcare hero is Lydia Madaga, a former community health worker at PSI-Kenya.
Jeremy is our on-the-ground man, making sure the pilot sites have what they need to use our software. He previously worked as a systems analyst and team lead after getting his bachelor’s degree in computer science at Africa Nazarene University.
Jeremy’s personal healthcare hero is Isabella Muturi, a nurse at AIC Marira Clinic in Kenya.
Andrew makes sure the Nairobi team stays on track. He may seem quiet, but don’t underestimate his passion and expertise when it comes to health technology. He’s worked with leading businesses both in Kenya and internationally.
Andrew’s personal healthcare hero is Benedetta, a cashier at AIC Marira Clinic in Kenya.
Steve is the visionary behind Banda Health. After two decades working as a doctor and hospital administrator in Africa, he has stories that will convince even the biggest skeptic of the impact that IT can have on African healthcare.
Steve’s personal healthcare hero is Irene Mundia, a licensed practical nurse at Mushima Rural Health Centre in Zambia.
Wes oversees all things technical. If you want a sneak peek at the roadmap, he’s your man! With 15 years of programming experience in the US private sector plus 5 years of technical consulting and team leadership, he definitely knows what he’s doing.
Wes’ personal healthcare heroes are the Christian medical missionaries working around the world.