A two-day screening review meeting bringing together nurses and medical officers from Garissa County Referral Hospital and Sense International concluded on Friday in Garissa.
The forum reviewed progress in early identification and intervention for children with disabilities, assessed current screening practices.
The team also explored ways to strengthen collaboration between frontline health workers and implementing partners.
They shared experiences from the field, discussed challenges affecting early detection, and agreed on strategies to enhance service delivery across facilities in the county.
Mahat Sheikh Salah, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Garissa County Referral Hospital, urged stakeholders to enhance collaboration among health workers, partners, and county institutions.
He said stronger coordination is essential to improve early detection and streamline referral pathways for children with disabilities.
Mahat said Garissa County Hospital remains committed to expanding early screening initiatives and strengthening support systems across health facilities.
He said the facility will mobilise all available human and material resources to ensure that children with disabilities in the county are identified as early as possible and receive timely, comprehensive care.
Dr. Hussein Buro, Director of Medical Services at the facility, noted that integrating early screening into routine healthcare services is vital for improving long-term outcomes for affected children.
He added that partnerships with organisations like Sense International continue to strengthen the county’s health system.
Mohamed Hussein, Director of Hospital Management at Garissa County Referral Hospital, emphasised the importance of capacity building and consistent screening to ensure that children with complex disabilities are detected early and supported appropriately.
Sense International, which works in Kenya to identify children with deafblindness and other complex disabilities, shared progress made under its ongoing programmes.
The organisation focuses on ensuring that children receive early interventions, quality education, and skills for future livelihoods.
Daniel Musango, Country Program Lead for Sense International Kenya, said the organisation’s work begins at birth through early sight and hearing screening.
“We are working to identify young children with sensory impairments as early as possible through a sight and hearing screening process,” he said.
“In partnership with local health services, we ensure that infants with sensory impairments receive treatment and access therapies that improve their future outcomes.”
He noted that the programmes have benefited children and young adults with deafblindness and complex disabilities through early screening, inclusive education, vocational training, and livelihoods support.
Musango added that Sense International has successfully implemented multi-year programmes funded by the FCDO, EU, and Commonwealth Foundation.
Importantly, its collaboration with Garissa County Referral Hospital has influenced county-level policies, integrating early intervention components into the development plans of Garissa and Kwale counties.
The organisation has also worked closely with national institutions, including the Ministry of Education and the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), contributing to policy reforms and the development of training curricula for Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) and individuals with deafblindness.
