Mobile Mortuary Van launched to Boost Child Mortality Study in Kisumu and Siaya

KEMRI has been piloting a research programme that provides the first of its kind in Africa Mobile Mortuary services for the purpose of researching on the cause of death in Siaya and Kisumu counties as part of Child Mortality Studies. Initial preliminary results from the study supported by this van clearly explain the actual cause of most deaths among children under five years in Kisumu and Siaya Counties. This unique Mobile facility was launched on 28th February 2024, at KEMRI Center for Global Health Research (CGHR) by the Acting Director General Prof. Elijah Songok.

The Minimal Invasive Testing Sampling (MITS) procedure Van is used for Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) study that collects, analyzes, and shares evidence needed to design more effective and targeted interventions for prevention of child mortality in Siaya and Kisumu Counties.

The six -year study has been funded for over USD. 6 million by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation whose CEO Mr. Bill Gates visited KEMRI recently to review the progress of this unique and innovative study in the world. The cost of MITS Van and accessories is estimated at the cost USD. 70,000.

Speaking during the launch Prof. Songok stated that the study will give evidence based targeted interventions and resources where they are needed most in terms of management and treatment of diseases.

“The MITS Van concept emanated from the challenges encountered in the process of enrolling community deaths such as the need for quick burials, transportation challenges among others,” he said.

KEMRI worked with the community and partners, to introduce an innovation where MITS is done in a Van within the community setting where death occurs within the required 24 hours. MITs sample testing, clinical records, and verbal autopsy data are reviewed by a panel of experts Deciding Cause of Death (DECODE) composed of a pathologist, an epidemiologist, a pediatrician, a microbiologist, a neonatologist amongst others to decide on the cause of each death.

The Principal Investigator of the study Dr. Richard Omore said that preliminary results are showing that the leading and surprising pathogen causing death in children regardless of age is Klebsiella Pneumoniae which has never been appreciated as an important cause of death in previous studies.

“Regardless of age, some of the leading cause of death among infants and children in Kenya’s study site are Malnutrition, Malaria, HIV infections and disease, congenital malformations (birth defects), Pneumoniae and Sepsis,” he elucidated. Other key causes of death in children include Sickle Cell, Low Birth Weight, and diarrhea.

The project is being implemented by KEMRI in collaboration with Ministry of Health, County health management team, Henry Jackson Foundation (HJF) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with support from CHAMPS Network Program Office based at Emory University