I had the opportunity to visit five departments at Kemri: Community Liaison Group, Epidemiology and Demographic Department, Wards, Laboratories and finally ICT.

CLG
I came to learn that this is the department in charge of communication between Kemri and the community at large. Previously many members of our Kilifi society viewed Kemri as disastrous organization and therefore detested and despised it. There are so many myths going round that makes many of our society members refuse to be involved with such a prestigious research organization. However, thanks to CLG that number is gradually going down.

EDD
This is quite a big department or probably the biggest. Here is where all the studies are initiated. By studies I mean research: pneumonia, malaria, diabetes studies name them. They also have the resources to do that including vehicles, tablets to key in their findings just to name but a few.

LABS
It’s not enough for the staff at EDD to go to the field collect all data and make conclusions on the findings , tests have to be done. Be it blood samples, or any other it has to be analyzed at the labs to get the correct and accurate information about a disease. In the immunology labs you would find malaria parasite culturing DNA sampling taking place. In the microbiology lab they do tests on HIV and bacteria while in the CTL lab they are going on with sickle cell study.

WARDS
It consists of the pediatric section, HDU and the pharmacy . What interested me more was the pharmacy. the staff were well organized. From how they perform checkups and the charting to how they arrange the drugs and keep their records show a high level of accuracy and people who love what they do.

ICT
This is also yet another department that is very key in the organization. The world is going digital way so does the Kemri itself. The need to store all the data collected and also smooth working of the day to day activities is their major responsibility. Almost everything in the campus is computerized: from the work to even the access doors . they have gone a step further to secure all the information within the campus which I must say is wonderful.