Residents of Kikopey in Gilgil subcounty of Nakuru County have continued to benefit from annual free medical camps organized by Rotary Club of Hurlingham in partnership with other organizations.
The free medical camps are held at Kikopey Dispensary just some metres from the busy Kikopey Centre with aim to transform underserved communities, bridging the healthcare gap.
This year’s camp held on May 16, 2026 marked the 5th edition of the Free Medical Camp at the facility, impacting positively through early detection of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), diagnosing chronic diseasea such as hypertension, diabetes, and various forms of cancer at treatable stages.
Addressing press during the event, locals lauded the Rotary Club of Hurlingham and partners for the gesture.
They termed the free medical camp a great relieve from financial strains.
Peter Macharia- a resident of Nyandarua is one of the beneficiaries of the free medical camps by Rotary Club of Hurlingham.
He stated that the free medical camps have easen burden on their part as patients.
“I have been attended to and I want to thank the Rotary Club of Hurlingham and partners for stepping in,” he stated.
During the free medical camp at Kikopey, maternal and child health was also given priority with provision of vital nutritional assessments, immunizations, and antenatal care while distributing maternal essentials directly to mothers in need.
Ms Joyce is a mother and a beneficiary of the free medical camp.
Her baby had complications, but was attended to during the camp giving her hope in life.
As a mother, she narrated that the free medical camp came in hand for her having walked and visited various facilities with no assistance in what she terms is due to the harsh economic times.
“The camp has given me hope in life. I had been to various facilities but the drugs are too expensive. But today I am a happy mother as my baby has been attended to and they have also given me the drugs needed,” she said.
The duo are just a representation of many patients who have continued to benefit from the annual free medical camp at Kikopey Dispensary courtesy of Rotary Club of Hurlingham in partnership with other well wishers.
For Rotary Club of Hurlingham, such testimonies from locals gives them the synergies to continue with the charity works.
The Club’s current President Njeri Mwaura in an interview, reiterated the importance of the free medical camps to the locals
According to her, the camps are in line with the Club’s seven areas of focus and moreso on disease prevention, mother and child care.
She pointed out that the camps target vulnerable groups such as the elderly, mothers and children.
According to her the camp was made possible through partbership with other well wishers such as Rotary Club of Utumishi, Rotary Club of Thika, Rotary Club of Lavington, Rotary Club of Alkmaar Netherlands, Bloom Hospital, Rotaractors, Amref, Tukalime among many others.
“Our target are the vulnerable groups here at Kikopey who find it difficult to get to health facilities due to longer distance. We want to ensure they have access to health sevices,” stated Rotarian Njeri.
The free medical camp witnessed huge turnout, in what President Njeri attributes to the harsh economic times in the country with many locals unable to afford medical care services, transport to abd from facilities
She stated that the free camp is not the end, as the partnership with Gilgil Sub county, and Bloom Hospital in Nakuru, has enabled monitoring and followups on patients and even do referrals.
Njeri also used the moment to challenge men to take their health serious.
She noted that men have always been reluctany when it come to matters health with many failing to go for checkups.
“It is a wakeup call to all men to take their health serious. Let them go for checkups as early as posssible,” she stated.
Sentiments echoed by Jacqueline Ogingo- one of the partners from Kilele Health Association.
She revealed that cervical cancer screening is key towards addressing the same, noting that early detection is a plus towards treatment.
“Outreaches are important because most if the time you find that women tend to shy away from hospitals, but when we come to community, most of them show up and we help them access facilities for treatment,” she said.
She used the moment to call on mothers of girls of 10 years to also ensure they take them for HPV vaccination.
Gilgil Subcounty Health Department Team Lead Samuel Kimani lauded Rotary Club of Hurlingham and other partners for holding such a camp in the area.
He noted that non-communicable diseases remain a challenge to locals in Gilgil sub county.
“This facility is a dispensary hence cannot handle some diseases, but with such free medical camps then all services are offered with experts in various areas of medicine,” she said.
The officer also used the momebt to call on Kenyans to register for Social Health Insurance.