CS JUN Week 1 -  How Mobile Health Vans Are Changing Lives in Rural Kenya (1)
                     How Mobile Health Vans Are Changing Lives in Rural Kenya
In the shadow of Kenya’s healthcare challenges — from under-resourced public clinics to long 
travel times for patients in rural counties — a quiet but powerful solution has emerged: mobile 
health vans. These units, equipped with diagnostic tools, medicine, and connectivity, are 
transforming healthcare access for populations who have long remained underserved.
In regions where hospitals are hours away by foot or boda boda, these mobile clinics are doing 
more than treating patients — they are bridging the health equity gap. Among the most 
influential champions of this model is Jayesh Saini, whose organizations have been at the 
forefront of operationalizing mobile health in Kenya's most remote areas.
The Problem: When Clinics Are Too Far to Matter
According to Kenya’s Ministry of Health, over 45% of rural Kenyans live more than 5 
kilometers away from the nearest health facility. For expectant mothers, the elderly, and 
those managing chronic diseases like hypertension or diabetes, this distance can mean missed
appointments, delayed diagnoses, or even preventable deaths.
Counties like Turkana, West Pokot, and parts of Bungoma report some of the lowest facility-
based delivery rates and the highest rates of untreated communicable conditions. 
Infrastructure gaps, terrain challenges, and staff shortages only worsen the accessibility crisis.
Traditional clinic expansion in these areas is not always feasible due to cost, land access, and 
staffing constraints. A mobile-first, decentralized model became necessary — not just as an 
interim fix, but as a long-term access strategy.
The Approach: A Mobile, Modular Solution
In response, private sector players began deploying community health vans—ambulatory 
medical units that could offer outpatient care, maternal services, diagnostics, and health 
education on the move. Among these initiatives, a standout example is the program coordinated
by networks linked to Jayesh Saini.
What These Vans Offer:
● Outpatient Consultations: Conducted by qualified nurses, with doctor consultations via
telemedicine where needed.
● Diagnostics: Blood pressure, glucose checks, pregnancy testing, and point-of-care 
diagnostics for malaria, typhoid, and more.
● Pharmacy Access: Common medications and over-the-counter products are stocked 
and dispensed on-site.
● Maternal & Child Health Services: Prenatal checkups, immunizations, growth 
monitoring, and education for mothers.
● Digital Health Integration: Vans are synced with the main clinic or hospital EMR 
systems, ensuring continuity of care and referral coordination.
These units are deployed on scheduled circuits across interior villages in Migori, Bungoma, 
Meru, and parts of Turkana, where Lifecare Hospitals and Bliss Healthcare maintain 
catchment areas. Staffed with licensed clinical officers and equipped with solar-powered fridges 
and internet connectivity, the vans function as rolling primary care centers.
Jayesh Saini’s Role in Scaling Mobile Outreach
Jayesh Saini’s healthcare network — including Bliss Healthcare, Lifecare Hospitals, and 
Lifecare Foundation — has played a pivotal role in institutionalizing mobile health 
delivery.
Through a mix of private funding, donor partnerships, and local government alignment, these 
organizations have:
● Established regionally coordinated mobile health routes
● Trained local health workers as part of mobile deployment teams
● Integrated mobile EMR access for real-time patient record updates
● Partnered with NHIF and county governments for partial reimbursements
● Provided post-visit tracking and SMS reminders through the Dawa Nyumbani 
initiative
This approach not only delivers care but builds a feedback loop between rural patients and 
formal health systems, helping reduce missed follow-ups and creating referral pathways to 
base hospitals.
The Outcome: Health Gains on the Move
While comprehensive national data on mobile health van impact is still emerging, internal 
tracking within similar private health networks shows:
● Marked improvement in maternal follow-up rates
● Better adherence to chronic medication plans
● Increased immunization uptake in target sub-counties
● Reduced patient load at overcrowded urban outpatient centers
In Bungoma County, a Lifecare-aligned outreach route has reported over 30% increase in 
patient follow-ups within six months of mobile van deployment — particularly for antenatal 
care and chronic hypertension reviews.
Community health volunteers, previously unsupported, are now being looped into referral chains
and digital patient logs via mobile phones and tablets issued as part of the program. These 
volunteers serve as navigators and field educators, extending the vans' impact far beyond the
day's visit.
Voices from the Field
Local leaders and public health officials have increasingly praised the role of private-public 
collaboration in driving mobile health success. While the government provides outreach 
frameworks, it is the operational agility of private actors like Jayesh Saini’s teams that fill 
the last-mile delivery gap.
In Turkana, a pilot van program supported by the Lifecare Foundation is now expanding from 
general outpatient care to school health checks and adolescent reproductive education, all 
coordinated with local health ministries.
Looking Ahead: Mobile Health as a Long-Term Strategy
The success of these vans is no longer viewed as stop-gap care — they are being positioned as
strategic extensions of Kenya’s national health system, especially in underserved and high-
need counties.
Future plans include:
● Adding mental health screening tools
● Connecting vans to real-time hospital dashboards
● Expanding pharmaceutical access through refrigerated mobile storage
● Creating data-driven schedules based on disease outbreak patterns
Jayesh Saini and his teams continue to refine the model, working with national policymakers to 
ensure the vans are not only funded but formally integrated into Kenya’s long-term Universal 
Health Coverage (UHC) vision.
Conclusion
Kenya’s healthcare challenges demand scalable, inclusive, and context-specific solutions. 
Mobile health vans have shown that when technology, community trust, and operational 
leadership align, even the most remote areas can receive high-quality care.
As digital health expands, these vans are no longer just vehicles — they are symbols of how 
equitable care can reach those previously forgotten, driven in large part by Jayesh Saini’s 
commitment to reimagining access at the margins of the map.