Trading City Clinics for Community Care

I arrived at Angama Mara in November 2024, but it already feels like I’ve been here much longer. After 11 years of practising medicine across Nairobi, Kajiado and the occasional Mara stint, I was ready for a new chapter. The wild offered just that: quiet, adventure, and space to grow as a clinician. Every moment makes me feel alive, from the morning dew under my feet lifting past my socks to the hot afternoons that bring wandering mongooses around Angama's Clinic.

Within the Angama Mara team, everyone can find their place. When I joined and the announcement was made on our worldwide WhatsApp group, there were over 100 congratulatory messages of goodwill and wishes from as far as the USA. Just like that, I went international. 

The Davis Clinic, funded by the Angama Foundation, is a place where I have been able to develop my clinical skills and learn and relearn daily. I have come to understand the true meaning of good things that come in small packages. Although small, the clinic is mighty and able to serve the community and staff in all manners.

The clinic is thoughtfully divided into three rooms, each serving a specific purpose to ensure smooth operations and care. The first room combines the Reception Area, where patients are welcomed, with a Triage Centre for initial assessments and a Consultation Room for private discussions with the medical team.

The second room is the clinical hub, housing the Laboratory, Injection Room, and Minor Theatre, as well as dedicated spaces for Observation and Examination — all essential for diagnostics and immediate treatment. The third room supports the clinic’s operations with a Pharmacy for dispensing medicine, a Drug Store for additional supplies, and a General Store for everything else needed to keep the clinic running smoothly.

People travel from as far as 50km away — some are new, others are regulars. The new ones mostly come through referrals from those who’ve experienced good care. My wish is for the community to better understand what ails them — because, in understanding, half the battle is won.  

Education, awareness and empowerment are key, and that’s what Dr Emmanuel and I continue to work towards. We work in collaboration; we complement each other's work ethic quite well and work effortlessly together. He is a cool guy and extremely knowledgeable.  

I have treated a myriad of interesting conditions at the clinic, but one that stands out is a 17-year-old girl whom I diagnosed with type one diabetes. She had been in and out of hospitals, admitted for weeks, and when they thought all hope was lost, the family took a chance and brought her to us. After a thorough examination and random diagnostic tests, I put the young lady under new management.  

She stabilised, and we set out to have daily reviews until a proper trial formula was achieved. Voila, on the third day, we reached a great milestone: the sugars went down to normal ranges, and she was discharged home on injectable insulin with a clear chart on how to administer medication. That day, the family and friends showered us with blessings spoken in Maa.  

Such experiences and more have helped Dr Emmanuel and me create working relationships with our community patients. We believe that understanding the person first helps us better treat the presenting condition. So far, we have been able to work within our means, with the hope of adding some new artillery, like a hemogram machine, that will help us have better diagnostic scopes.  

Your health is your wealth. Guard it at all costs.