On Saturday, 18 November, over 1,000 people joined DNDi and our partners in a charity run to mobilize support for neglected patients and raise awareness about neglected diseases. It was an inspiring and action-packed day in Kacheliba – a small town in Kenya close to the Ugandan border, where kala-azar is endemic.
‘A run is something we do together, and that’s why we are here,’ said Dr Luis Pizarro, DNDi Executive Director, addressing fellow runners after the race. ‘At DNDi, we have always believed in doing things together – with partners, governments, the community, and friends. That’s why we are running alongside the governor of this county, the French Ambassador, the medical teams in Kenya and Uganda, and close partners in the region to raise awareness for neglected diseases and neglected patients.’
For many in Kacheliba and from Amudat district in neighbouring Uganda, joining the run was not about achieving a personal goal but about bringing attention to a pressing issue that hits very close to home. Over the last year, Kacheliba Hospital has treated more than 650 people diagnosed with visceral leishmaniasis, also known as kala-azar. Amudat Hospital has treated over 300 people with the disease. Both hospitals are long-standing DNDi clinical trial sites and have contributed to research that has paved the way for safer and more effective leishmaniasis treatment.
‘We have a rich history in West Pokot county and Amudat district, beginning with establishing the research and treatment centre at Kacheliba Sub-County Hospital 12 years ago’, said Prof. Sam Kariuki, DNDi Eastern Africa Director. ‘Together with our Ministry of Health partners, we have built infrastructure, trained health providers, conducted successful clinical trials, and developed treatments for visceral leishmaniasis here.’
Doctor Loyce Faith Nangiro from Amudat Hospital in Uganda came to Kacheliba with a team of eight medical workers from her hospital.
‘As a doctor who treats patients with kala-azar, I am participating in this run to create awareness for this neglected disease. It is also a way for me to stand in solidarity with my patients. I strongly believe that we have the ability to eliminate leishmaniasis, and my participation in this run is a sign of my commitment to that belief,’ Dr Nangiro said.
The motivation to participate was even greater for participants like Luke Kanyang’areng’, a nurse at Kacheliba hospital, who was also in his youth a kala-azar patient.
‘I survived kala-azar, and that’s why I am running. As a former patient, I want people to know that this disease is real and still affects and even kills people today. I am running to make people care about neglected patients,’ Kanyang’areng’ said.
DNDi is grateful to our race ambassador, Kenya marathon champion Tegla Loroupe, and the many guests who joined the event and helped shine the spotlight on kala-azar – including Kenya’s Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, Dr Raymond Omolo; Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communication & Digital Economy, Eliud Owalo; Governor of West Pokot County, Simon Kachapin; the French Ambassador to Kenya, Arnaud Suquet; and members of the county assembly.
Kacheliba medical camp
In the lead-up to the charity run, DNDi held a free medical camp at Kacheliba Girls Primary School together with health workers and volunteers from Kenya’s Ministry of Health, Kenya’s Defence Forces, Kenya Medical and Research Institute, Rotary International, FIND, Amudat Hospital, and Kacheliba Hospital.
Held just ahead of the weekend charity run, health professionals provided medical consultations, treatment, and preventive care services to over 900 people – including 252 children under five, addressing community members’ medical concerns and providing guidance on improving overall well-being.
Attendees also benefited from eye exams, gynaecology services, counselling, and screening for diseases including mycetoma and visceral leishmaniasis.
‘We held consultations with 905 patients in a single day – a big success,’ said Dr Chege Kimani, Medical Superintendent of Kacheliba Sub-County Hospital. ‘We were able to identify six community members with moderate to severe acute malnutrition, as well as a woman in her fifth month of pregnancy with suspected visceral leishmaniasis that was quickly confirmed through diagnostic tests. These patients are now receiving medical care in our hospital, and we’re so grateful we had the opportunity to help ensure their access to timely treatment.’
Both the charity run and the medical camp were organized as part of DNDi’s 20th anniversary campaign.
Photo credits: Lameck Ododo-DNDi
