The Italy-Malindi axis, in terms of social issues and aid to the local population, never stops, and thanks to volunteer organizations such as Karibuni, the most deeply rooted in the area with over twenty years of presence, it continues to bring passion and expertise.
In this case, in the field of healthcare and thanks to contact with a young, brilliant, passionate, and competent doctoral student in biomedicine at La Sapienza University in Rome, who is studying gynecological oncology at the Gemelli Polyclinic.
Her name is Viviana Romano, and in a few days she will return to the capital with a wealth of important experience, but above all having been able to establish a collaboration with the oncologists at Malindi County Hospital, which has benefited and will continue to benefit women across much of the northern Kenyan coast.

“I have to thank Karibuni for putting us in touch with the oncologists at Malindi Hospital,” Viviana tells Malindikenya.net. “We jumped at the chance to apply for a European Union grant to create a project that could develop and become important.”
Viviana was surprised by the expertise of the Kenyan doctors.
“They are experienced, organized, and receptive,” explains the young woman. “What they lack, unfortunately, is dedicated medical equipment, supplies, and some professional support staff. Even the materials available in Kenya for diagnosis and treatment are so few that they cannot meet the demand. As a result, not everyone has access to screening and diagnosis.”
Viviana mainly dealt with cervical cancer, caused by papilloma virus infection, a disease that is very common in Kenya.
“From this point of view, the issue is even more delicate, because many women prefer not to be checked, partly due to religious or traditional taboos, and there is no concept of the importance of prevention.”

Viviana has encountered problems in a country that has been traveling at two speeds for years, between growth linked to modern times and the potential of the African continent, and endemic backwardness and little attention to poor people.
“Many people cannot go to the hospital in Malindi, the only point of reference for miles and miles and for more than a million people, because they do not even have the money for transportation, let alone for any treatment. From this point of view, I found the situation difficult, especially with regard to cancer treatment. Consider that in all of Kenya there are only four facilities capable of providing dedicated therapies to public health patients.”
These are issues that Karibuni is well aware of, and for which it has built the Baolala dispensary in the Malindi hinterland, for example.
“I visited it, along with Karibuni's other wonderful initiatives,” explains Viviana. "It is a model clinic, hygienically perfect, which can become a point of reference for thousands of people, not least because the entire community of Langobaya and the surrounding area is well aware of Karibuni's activities and its integration with the local population. With specific aid, Baolala can become a bridge for visits and screenings with the Malindi hospital."
The young future researcher already has clear ideas on how to improve the situation in the specific field in which she works, the one for which she has cultivated a passion since she was a young girl, which has brought her this far. And which will soon take her back to Malindi.

“Before leaving, I was a little anxious about my first trip to Africa,” she admits, "but after only 24 hours, I immediately felt at ease, simply breathing the air, watching the people, finding friendliness and smiles, especially in an environment like a hospital where situations are often difficult, as we Italians know well. When I return to Rome, I will take with me the beneficial influences of ‘pole pole’, a healthy philosophy. And the hope of being able to return to do more for those who do not have the means to treat themselves and the awareness of prevention and colleagues who do not have the tools to best identify their pathologies and treat patients accordingly. On my return, I will report to doctors and managers, in the hope that projects can be set up that will bring me back to Kenya.
We sincerely hope so, and we hope so for the Kenyans, above all.