ABC 2ND STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOP: "CLEAN AIR & MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH IN KENYA"

Following the successful 1st stakeholders engagement workshop: " Kenya Healthy Brain Project: Maternal, Child Environmental Health Research, Practice and Policy" that took place at Gracia Hotel in August 2019,  Kilimani, Nairobi, the University of Washington in collaboration with the University of Nairobi organized its 2nd stakeholders Engagement workshop on 21st September 2022 at Gracia Gardens in Kilimani. The Theme of the workshop was "Clean Air and Maternal Child Health in Kenya."

The workshop provided a platform with the purpose of sharing preliminary findings on the ongoing ABC study along with other related research and the existing regulatory framework and policies. The discussions and recommendation from this workshop informed and promotes environmental-health-driven scientific policies on the contemporary "Clean Air and Maternal Child Health in Kenya". In addition it strengthen the work in progress and provides measurable levels of commitment to ease the implementation process and the sustainability of the project.

 

Speaking during the stakeholders workshop, the Principal Investigator(PI), Sarah Benki-Nugent from the University of Washington lauded the progress ABC team has made in their research from different case study areas in Nairobi having so far taken the samples of over 300 expectant mothers which will aid in their research investigation to determine the Clean Air and Maternal Child Health in the different localities in Nairobi.

 

The participants were drawn from various organizations and institutions i.e Ministry of Health, Kenyatta National Hospital, DOSH, Government Chemists, NEMA, CEJAD, Jomo Kenyatta University of Science & Technology, University of Nairobi and University of Washington.

Presenters in that workshop included two MSc students presented their research work on the following research topics; Development and implementation of gold standard protocols for indoor and ambient levels of  fine particulate matter exposure in Nairobi , Considerations in scaling up air monitoring in ABC /  Dandora –low-cost sensors pros and cons, where / how to plan a pilot network of air monitors, Impact of air pollution on early brain development in children (ABC) Study, Indoor air quality measurements in Kenya; informal, urban and rural settlements & Maternal and neonatal blood lead levels among Nairobi women presenting to the hospital for delivery.