Tuesday, March 10, 2015

ICROSS marks Wold Women's day 2015

International Women's Day 2015

Dr Joe Barnes of ICROSS reaches 100 years old

To mark the hundredth birthday of Dr. Joe Barnes we are extending the Dr. Joe Barnes project this year in 2015. This is a very special occasion that pays tribute to one of the first physicians from Ireland to make a major contribution to tropical medicine.
Dr. Joe Barnes was working in Africa in leper colonies during the Second World War. He ran a number of important leper programs in West Africa in the 1940s. He was one of the first specialists to work in the Biafran war camps and worked in numerous disasters and public health programs across the poor world over the decades. He was an obstetrician, surgeon and consultant in tropical medicine. He founded ICROSS with Dr. Michael Meegan in 1979. He established the research unit of ICROSS in 1983 and encouraged the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland to collaborate with ICROSS in primary health care research focusing mainly on water and water Bourne diseases http://icrossinternational.org/medical-research/index.as

Dr. Barnes remains regularly informed of all our programs and continues to support field operations and our public health initiatives. In 2015 Dr. Joe Barnes project will focus on improving water capacity and developing water projects in remote rural areas. Details of these field activities will be regularly updated here on the news page.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

ICROSS Achievements 2000 - 2014 Dr Michael Meegan

2000

Published “Identifying emerging needs among AIDS orphans in Kenya”. Multi-Centre Matched Perspective Control Study of 2,786 Children Orphaned by AIDS, 2,420 other Orphans and 3,400 Nairobi, Kenya”. 2000
Published “AIDS orphans, an emerging crisis USAID sponsored conference.” Nanyuki. Kenya”. 2000
Published “Journal of the American Medical Association, JAMA Humanities from JAMA — I Held Him in My Arms and Wept. ... Michael K. Elmore-Meegan Jul 12, 2000

2001

ICROSS reached 1,284 AIDS orphans and vulnerable children
Published “Solar disinfection of drinking water protects against cholera in children under 6 years of age”. Conroy RM, Meegan ME, Joyce T, McGuigan K, Barnes J. Arch Dis Child 2001; 85(4):293-5. Showing the impact on reducing and preventing Cholera using solar disinfection.

Published “Effect on neonatal tetanus mortality after a culturally-based health promotion programme”. Meegan M, Conroy RM, Lengeny SO, Renhault K, Nyangole J. Lancet 2001;358(9282):640-1 demonstrating the impact of harm reduction programmes by reducing incidence of neonatal tetanus by over 70% in a 20 year study.

Published “Effect of fly control using sustainable  interventions on the prevalence of Trachoma in five pastoral tribes in Kenya”. World Health Organization Trachoma conference, Geneva, Switzerland. 2001
Published “World Health Origination (WHO) guidelines Trachoma prevention, fly traps”, M Elmore-Meegan Prof D Morely et al, Geneva, Switzerland. 2001

2002
ICROSS revamps its oldest clinics and hands over the TBA programmes to local communities
Canadian Government donates 240 bicycles to ICROSS health workers
2003

AIDS orphans & Vulnerable Children; an evidence-led response. IFCW World Forum. Cape Town, South Africa. 2003
Handed over Bungoma HIV home care programme to Ministry of Health serving 3,000 patients.
Annual Consultative Review, Manitoba and Nairobi Universities Collaborative Conference. “An assessment of home-based care interventions among 2,116 terminally ill patients in Bondo and Siaya using clinically validated scales. Interim results.” Nairobi, Kenya. 2003
ICROSS Initiated Dr Joe Barnes projects.
ICROSS extends Child to Child health promotion to its entire project

2004

We built 14 VIP latrines allowing improved sanitation and hygiene and dispensaries and schools.
Global fund grant supported ICROSS in a multi million Shilling initiative. We created mobile and walk in voluntary councelling and testing facilities, home care reaching 23,000 HIV/AIDS victims in 5 districts of Kenya. Our staff tripled in this year alone.
Canadian Government donates a mobile Clinic to ICROSS to extend services.
ICROSS welcomed a record number of interns and volunteers both local and International.
Created a new Commercial Sex worker support project reaching over 400 sex workers.
Published “Sex workers in Kenya, numbers of clients and associated risks: an exploratory survey”. Elmore-Meegan M, Conroy RM, Reprod Health Matters 2004; 12(23):50-7.
Published “All Will be Well” republished newly updated April 2015 (Forward by John Hurt) Eye-Books, 149 pgs. , May 2004. ISBN 1903070279 www.eye-book.com
ICROSS established its commercial sex work support program
ICROSS reached 900 internships since the project began and 2400 volunteers

2005

ICROSS extended mobile clinics under a grant from the Japanese Government

Doubling outreach services since 2001
BBC Hard talk Interview with Stephen Sackur on ICROSS model Vs G20 thinking
We established the Kimotho Gathoni Educational Grant in honour of one of our team who died tragically , he was a carer of AIDS Orphans

International collaborative study launched headed by Royal College of Surgeons.

ICROSS begins the SODIS study in Nakuru,Kenya.

Extended Trachoma blindness prevention programmes to all operational areas
Irish Television broadcasts a TV Documentary “ When you say four thousand Goodbyes”

Together with Manuel Scrima ICROSS launched its most ambitious poverty awareness program Africa-Awakes.com these expiations have traveled to 16 countries over a five year period.

2006

7,717 HIV patients provided with suppliments and additional food
7,366 Patients given Medical support
23,313 immediate family affected by HIV supported and assisted through the home reach programmes
13,833 orphans and vulnerable children reached and assisted
13,000 people protected by bed nets distributed in 2006
Distributed over 1.2 Million condoms
Published “Surprised by joy”; a story of hope in the midst of tragedy, Forward by Stephen Sackur BBC,156 pgs.,First Published July 2006 republished on line for Kindle Dec 2014 ) detailing the work and philosophy of ICROSS
Presented “Applied operational study of pain determinants in terminally ill patients in Bondo, Kenya XVI International AIDS Conference, Toronto, August 06”

Presented “Creating long term change through culturally acceptable cost effective public health interventions”. The 46th Robert Graves Lecture, Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland, Dublin 10 May 06 sharing the ICROSS Model of locally driven planning and community owned programmes.

2007

Extended female Genital Mutilation prevention and Harm Reduction to reach 6,000 girls.
Monitored growth over 23,760 children providing suppliments to 4, 600
Published “ Let me Die with dignity”: Creating Meaningful Homecare Programmes for People Living with AIDS in Bungoma, Kenya,Mwenda Ntarangwi, Ph.D. and 1Michael Elmore-Megan, The African Anthropologist Vol. 13 No. 1&2, Spring 2007, pp. 9-25.
Allocated 126 self help grants and 340 domestic livestock as part of micro financing to increase local capacity.
Advised 27 NGOs in 11 countries on Programme implementation

Presented “Emerging mega-trends in Global health Future shocks; disasters and relief in a changing world”, RedR Conference, Royal College of nursing, London, 5th December, 2007, chaired by the Princess Royal
Presented “Locally appropriate technologies in low income settings” Dept International health, Tampere University, Finland. 29th Nov 2007
ICROSS extends its child monitoring clinics using the Direct recording scales developed together with Teaching Aids at low cost and Professor David Morley
Distributed over $6,000 of medical learning materials and technologies to health professional in Kenya and Tanzania
Africa Awakes ICROSS awareness exhibition reaches 60,000 visitors in 2007 in 4 countries.
Irish government funded project community health worker training course in public health sanitation, hygiene and water serving over 16,000 semi desert nomads

2008

2008 ICROSS distributed over 400,000 condoms as part of HIV prevention and sexual reproductive programmes.
Extended peer education among young men reaching over 4,200.
ICROSS hands over IRISH AID funded health training programme after completion of the training impacting on 6,000 mothers
6,000 hours of community and volunteers donated time
Distributed 2,300 bed nets
We reahed 72% immunisational coverage in our programme areas
Allocated grassroot support grants to 1,200 children
Provided rehabilitation support to 680 children
Streamlines reporting systems in all ICROSS Health programmes
Extended child to Child health promotion in local languages to over 6,000 children in high risk semi desert areas.

2009

Strengthened Maternal child health and reproductive health in partnership with Ministry of health to reach an additional 3,800 mothers
Began IT training for health workers and launched the “ computers for Health staff distributing latest health data for health professionals in remote areas.
Completed multi-centre nutritional assessment of malnutrition in all catchements showing a reduction in malnutrition of 14% over the previous year
Published “Changing the World” Feb 2009 256 pgs.www.eye-books.com

Published “Take my hand, a spiritual journey”With Sharon Wilkinson, Forward by T Hogan, 58 pgs. www.michaelmeegan.com July 2009 republished for kindle Oct 2014

Published “Health care in regions of absolute Poverty” Seminar,Dept International health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tampere, Finland 30th November 2009

Presented SODIS in KENYA, 20 years of field implementation SODIS International Conference Phnom Phen Cambodia International seminar of the impact of Solar disinfection Non 2009

Twenty years of SODIS in Kenya. International Research Colloquium of the Network to promote Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage. Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 21st - 23rd September 2009

Presented “Changing dynamics of Morbidity, Mortality and poverty of children in the Third World”.Senate Hearing, Italian Senate, Rome. Senatorial Commission on International Children’s Rights,at the request of Italian Senate Commission, Rome, 31st April 2009

Presented “Global health and interdependency”, The Royal College of Surgeons Charter day lecture 2009 Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin. 12th Feb 2009
Published “AFRO Journal Italy”, on Global health, poverty and International health trends and patterning Oct 09 Feb 09
To mark the 20th Malaria campaign we distributed over 20,000 bed nets
International Advisory board expanded to include IT and SEO specialists.

2010

ICROSS completed the five year SODIS study
ICROSS extends water borne disease programme to meet the increase in dehydration and diarrhoeal infections.
Expansion of all ICROSS facilities doubling capacity of all clinics and adding maternity units begins.
Completed an external Management organizational review , implemented recommendations leading to restructuring and right sizing of he NGO.
Governance standards met with UK charity commission guidelines

2011

Our safe motherhood, child Survival and infant malnutrition project reached over 26,000 in 2011.
We distributed 3,200 bed nets as part of our Annual Malaria campaign this year
Our Diarrhoea prevention programme including oral rehydration, sanitation and safe water reached 26,000 throughout the year
We prevented 8,500 cases of trachoma and treated 3,400 cases.
We donated 9 water tanks and decontaminated 5 water sources thanks to UK partner NWI.
We allocated 122 support grants for girls education

Published “Randomized Intervention Study of Solar Disinfection of Drinking Water in the Prevention of Dysentery in Kenyan Children Aged under 5 Years”. Martella du Preez†, Ronan M. Conroy, Sophie Ligondo, James Hennessy, Michael Elmore-Meegan, Allan Soita, and Kevin G. McGuigan* Environ. Sci. Technol., 2011, 45 (21), pp 9315–9323, September 21, 2011

2012

Global health promotion and the civil society – an NGO perspective to inequity,

Global Health Summit: INEQUITIES IN HEALTH; Helsinki, 13 June 2012

ICROSS introduced an online you tube project

2013

First Global Health Course: Series of Lectures on International Health, Institute of Medicine, Khatmandu, Nepal August 2013
Shared 12 of our projects on youtube ( details in 2013 and 2014 Annual Reports )
Extended our online advice and health messages by text following he ministry of health recommendations for public health infomation awareness
Created new multi media support on line advice and help lines to meet growing demand for low cost health support networks
Presented “Changes in Global health, the INGO context”. Dept. International health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tampere, Finland , June 2013
We handed over the comprehensive care unit in Bondo to the Government, It serves over 40,000 in the District.
JK and JD launched the latest poverty awareness multimedia program which has an ambitious target of reaching 200,000 people in Europe between 2015-16.
ICROSS launched its 2^nd phase of support help lines and online advise through its SEO, Blog and Twitter campaigns.
Published “Why Anti-Gay Laws Matter on World AIDS Day” http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/dr-michael-meegan/ 1 Dec 2013

2014

Maasai, a Cultural Context, Documentary : Dante Montagnani, London Oct 2014

Technical Consultant, advisor, Executive Producer

43,800 hrs of donated services by community and overseas volunteers
250,000 condoms distributed towards HIV and AIDS prevention
Published “Getting into the Development Sector and breaking into a future in Development NGOs” http://icrossinternational.org/faq/index.asp July 2014
The Co Founder of ICROSS Professor Joe Barnes celebrates his 100^th Birthday

Contact Us

ICROSS International Head Office
Registered Office ICROSS, PO 507 Ngong Hills, Kenya
( A Registered Non Governmental Organisation regulated by the Kenyan Government
NGOs Coordination board under the NGO Act ; Registration No. OP/218/051/9254/180 )

International Director: Dr Michael Meegan D Med HC NUI

ICROSS Milestones up until 2000

http://icrossinternational.org/achievments/index.asp

KEY ICROSS MILESTONES AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Most of this information is available in detail through downloads, Official reports, annual Reviews and medical publications. Should you like to know more please contact us through http://icrossinternational.org/

1979

ICROSS established by Doctor Barnes and Doctor Meegan.
ICROSS begun International awareness for re thinking the model of donor led development, a policy that would be advocated by others in future decades.
Donated $6,000 to Projects in Asia and East Africa.

1980

Awarded 32 grants to missionary organizations in Africa and Asia.
ICROSS began lobbying UK politicians together with Prof David Morley for more targeted child health funding internationally.

1981

Published “The reality of starvation and disease”. Meegan M. Lancet 1981; 1 (8212):146.

On the spread of poverty

ICROSS launched long term public health studies with Prof. David Morley and the Institute of Child Health, London.
Donated $8,000 to women’s health projects in India

1982

Supported Doctor Robbie McCabe MD in Turkana and five relief projects in Karamoja, Uganda.
ICROSS East end, New York USA established by a group of Physicians in Southampton New York, USA.

1983

Created, ICROSS Kenya with Holy Ghost Fathers headed by Fr Paul Cunningham.
Grants 22 small mission projects throughout East Africa.
Published “Starvation and suffering”. Meegan M. Lancet 1983; 2(8365-66):1506.
Director of Medical services Dr. Wilfred Kionange granted ICROSS the authority to establish and operate mobile medical clinics in Samburu and Kajiado districts.

1984

Grants to Franciscan projects in Mogadishu, Somalia for Health Projects.
In partnership with AMREF, ICROSS extended famine relief to over 12,000 children, mother and the elderly.
1984-1988 ICROSS introduced in all it projects Child to Child health promotion
Donations to 5 Eastern African countries, supporting famine relief and child survival of £ 20,000.
Over £60,000 given in emergency development projects in East Africa and India.
ICROSS built first dispensary in rural Kenya.
ICROSS Constructed first clinic in Samburu (Lesirikan Clinic) and Oldanyati Clinic at the foot of the Ngong Hills, both Staffed by Seconded Government Nurses.
ICROSS allocated over 400 education grants in small Rural primary schools

1985

ICROSS established ICROSS Tanzania together with Tanzanian ambassador to Kenya, Joe Lusinde.
Raised over £70,000 pounds for ICROSS Tanzania public health projects.
Created 4 new self-help groups.
Build two new clinics in Kenya, one in Monduli, Tanzania.
Begun disease control programs in Turkana, Samburu and Pokot.
Began training of traditional birth attendants in four districts.
Initiated diarrheal control programme in Samburu and Kajiado Districts.
Began camel breeding in remote areas, Samburu.

1986

Father Paul Cunningham becomes chairman of the board of directors, ICROSS Kenya.
ICROSS expands in USA.
Reached over 200,000 in drought stricken areas.
Funds training of over 200 health workers.
Distributes grants of over 50,000 dollars.
Provided first specialized referral consultancy through a team of volunteer medical consultants lead by Doctor Evan Sequeira.
Grants to three Mission Hospitals and Clinics in Pokot and Turkana

Published “All shall be Well” Forward Prof John Powell SJ, ISBN 000-627006-9, Collins. 146 pgs. First edition 1986, Reprint Jan 1999. Republished Oct 2014
Father Paul Cunningham opened ICROSS health clinic at Nyonyori, built from funding from the British High commission in Nairobi.
ICROSS launched extensive mobile outreach services and facilities in four districts of Kenya, reaching over 200,000 people a year.
ICROSS campaigns for community owned planning of projects in rural communities
ICROSS extended its child survival and maternal health program with donations raised from 6 international donors.

1987

Together with the Danish government (DANIDA), established long term mother and child health programming, reaching over three hundred villages and 120,000 people.
Provided supplementary feeding and training to over 7,000 mothers.
Created domestic livestock programmes that have become self-sufficient to date.
ICROSS has been proactively involved in district development committee and stakeholder groups.
ICROSS established 12 women’s groups in remote rural areas.

1988

Extended water and sanitation programmes, in four districts and handed over five primary healthcare programmes to local communities.
Developed new women’s’ groups in rural areas and doubled mobile clinics with the assistance of international donors.
Through the support of the Irish government and comic relief, established 16 micro-finance organizations and local empowerment projects. These included; fish farms, cattle dips, local maize production facilities, strengthening cattle herds, improving local organization management, facilitating awareness of legal rights.
Extended the use of solar disinfection of contaminated drinking water reaching over 16,000 pastoralists.
Began the training and skills transfer of local public health researchers.
Handed over five community development projects.

Published “Prevention of disease in the poor world”. Meegan M, McCormick J. Lancet 1988; 2(8603):152-3. Sharing innovative approaches to implement health services.

1989

Increased immunisation coverage reaching over 35,000 children.
External evaluation of public health programmes by Prof David Morley
Evaluation of clinical diagnostic processes by Prof James McComick MD.
Extended training programmes for traditional mid wives.
Introduced first phase computarisation of patient data.
Reached over 280,000 of tribal pastoralists in Public Health.
Completed final studies on tribal belief systems relating to diarrhea and water borne diseases.
Raised over 300,000 dollars for community programmes
ICROSS launches what would be a 26 year collaboration with Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
Published Major study on the beliefs and practices on the causes and treatment of diarrhoeal infections among the Maasai, Diarrhoea being one of the major killers of all children.

Published “Rates of sexual partner change among two pastoralist southern Nilotic groups in East Africa”. Konings E, Anderson RM, Morley D, O'Riordan T, Meegan M. AIDS 1989; 3(4):245-7.
Published “Dialogue on Diarrhea Beliefs and behavior” Michael Meegan the Maasai in Kenya and Tanzania , Issue no. 39 - December 1989 (regular contributor )
Thanks to donations from Des Rushe and his readers as well as Dr Joe Barnes cofounder of ICROSS launched our first annual malaria campaign reaching over 6,000 in its first year.

1990

ICROSS was one of the first members of Aids Map which is international association providing HIV information globally. ICROSS has been dynamically active since 1990.
ICROSS extends its HIV prevention programme to two new districts
Handed over three community health projects for safe motherhood to local communities.
COMIC Relief support micro finance initiatives in three districts reaching over 120,000 in rural communities.

1991

ICROSS establishes the international headquarters in Ngong Kenya
Donated $ 12,000 of Medical Supplies and equipment to Health projects in Pokot and Samburu
Tom Ruberk of ICROSS Texas raised 30,000 dollars to support women rights in Kenya through ICROSS projects.
External evaluation of ICROSS rural health programs by Prof James McCormark

1992

Published “Rethinking famine relief”. Meegan M K. Lancet 1992; 340(8830):1293-4.
ICROSS Built its guest house and HIV support facility funded by ICROSS East end USA
ICROSS distributed over 300,000 condoms as part of its reproductive health programme.
ICROSS in partnership with the Lions club began its largest surgical operation in Kajiado Hospital

1993

ICROSS East end Closes after successful completion of all its projects having risen over 2 million dollars in the previous decade

1994

Published “Dwindling donor aid for health programmes in developing countries”. Conroy RM, Meegan ME. Lancet 1994; 343(8907):1228-9.
Published “Child weighing by the unschooled: a report of a controlled study of growth monitoring over 12 months of Maasai children using direct recording scales”. Meegan M, Morley DC, Brown R. Trans Royal Society Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 1994; 88(6):635-7.
Ministry of health allocated more government staff to ICROSS rural health programmes
The Japanese Ambassador presented surgical equipment to Joe Gatiba operations director for Kajiado Hospital

1995

ICROSS began Kimotho Gathoni Education Project
ICROSS began a 17 year relationship with JICA introducing dozens of Japanese volunteers into rural development projects.
Celebrated a decade of ICROSS Main Clinic Nyonyorrie
Doubles the immunisation programme reach from previous year reaching 9,600 children

1996

Extended new mobile clinics, Community Health work and traditional birth attendant training to over 120 TBAs (Traditional birth attendants).
Extended child health monitoring including: Infant feeding, Care during pregnancy, Danger signs during pregnancy, Delivery, Breastfeeding: positioning and attachment, Care of mother and baby after birth, Guideline for healthy eating, Post natal examination and Family planning.

1997

191,504 beneficieries
Published “Fly traps. Trachoma prevention and fly reduction”, Meegan M, Morley D, Chavasse D. Lancet 1997;349(9055):886.
Published “Caring for the Future: Making the Next Decades Provide a Life Worth Living”M. K. Elmore-Meegan, JAMA. 1997; 277(16):1329-132910.1001/jama. 1997.03540400081046
ICROSS Japanese Ambassador Hands Danny Ngwiri $38,670 to begin the ICROSS HIV and AIDS programme in Bondo.

1998

Published “Solar disinfection of drinking water contained in transparent plastic bottles : characterizing the bacterial inactivation process” McGuigan1, Elmore-Meegan Journal of Applied Microbiology V 84 Issue 6pg 1138–1148, June 1998
ICROSS formally introduces overseas internship programme
Three new dispensaries funded by the Japaneese government received approval at Longosua, Sinkiraine and Murantawa

1999

Published “Solar disinfection of water reduces diarrheal disease: an update’’. Conroy RM, Meegan ME, Joyce T, McGuigan K, Barnes J. Arch Diseases Children 1999; 81(4):337-8.
Published ‘’Growth monitoring: family participation: effective community development’’. Meegan M, Morley DC. Tropical Doctor 1999; 29(1):23-7.
ICROSS board member, Chief Magistrate Babu Achieng tragically murdered on January 1999, He had served on the board of directors, ICROSS Kenya for 10 years.