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FDSAs key intervention in the area of Medical Outreach is in conducting of surgical repairs for a condition known as Obstetric or Vesico Vaginal Fistula. This intervention is done in the form of VVF Surgical Medical Camps held periodically throughout the year in various hospitals.

Kenyatta National Hospital, being the largest VVF repair centre in the country receives over 400 VVF related cases each year, close to half of the 1,000 VVF cases nationally. The funding is earmarked for a project, run by FDSA aimed at reclaiming women’s dignity as well as protecting families and marriages from disintegration – a key consequence of VVF. A significant part of the project includes training of local specialist gynecologists, surgeons and registrars in fistula surgery as well as building capacity on the ground to handle Fistula.

Obstetric (or Vesico Vaginal) fistula is a devastating condition affecting poor rural women and girls. It manifests as an abnormal communication between the urinary bladder and vagina, which leads to uncontrolled, continuous leakage of urine and/or fecal matter. The condition most often occurs as a complication of obstructed labor but can also be caused by radiation, surgical trauma or accidents.

Inadvertently, majority of VVF incidences occur due to lack of access to qualified health care personnel during the labor period especially in cases of obstructed birth process.  The situation is usually worse off for new mothers, especially teenage mothers because their pelvis is still too small for the baby to pass through. Obstructed labor can therefore lead to injuries to the mother, child or both. This condition has perverse effects on the emotional well-being of the sufferer and completely destroys the individual’s social capacity. Obstetric fistulas affect women of all ages and account for 8% of maternal deaths worldwide.

The Flying Doctors’ Society of Africa (FDSA or The Society) was established in 1971, to raise funds for the spread of Medical Outreach in Africa through a membership scheme which guarantees free evacuation services to paid-up members. The Society also raises funds through fundraising activities, selling branded merchandise as well as donations. The Society is a charitable organization which puts to good use all unutilised subscriptions not spent on evacuations by funding Charity Evacuations and Outreach Programmes that ensure Medical facilities are accessible across the region. Since its inception, the Society has contributed the equivalent of 1 billion shillings to the spread of Medical Outreach in Africa.

FDSA works hard to ensure people all over East Africa have access to life saving medical attention. Part of the proceeds from membership subscriptions are used to help people like Rose. Become a member or donate today and help by being part of the solution.

Rose* is a 6 year old girl who was brutally raped by a neighbor from her village in rural Wajir, Northern Kenya. The impact of the attack on Rose and her family has been huge. Rose has received limited medical treatment through the efforts of the Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW).

Rose had initially been assessed by a doctor on the ground at Wajir. However, given the remoteness of the area she lives in, and the fact that there is no counselor or gynecologist available for her, she was unable to access the appropriate medical treatment. This would have been necessary both for her own well being, and for the purpose of gathering evidence for the subsequent court case against her attacker.

FDSA contacted COVAW with a proposal to carry out a free charity evacuation of Rose to Nairobi Womens Hospital in Nairobi, which was done on the weekend of 16th and 17th November 2013. FDSA partnered with the Emergency Medical Services of the Kenya Red Cross to carry out the evacuation by road ambulance. The evacuation was successful and Rose was admitted at Nairobi Womens Hospital where she had access to counseling and professional gynecological care that she would not have had in Wajir.

FDSA works hard to ensure people all over East Africa have access to life saving medical attention. Rose’s case is one of others that FDSA exists to assist with. Part of the proceeds from membership subscriptions are used to help people like Rose. Become a member or donate today and help by being part of the solution.

(*Name has been changed to protect her identity)

So many activities take place during Christmas, ranging from church to social outdoor events. More often than not, history always repeats itself and so we keep doing the same things over and over again every Christmas, year in year out. Am not saying that anyone should go against their culture or ignore the practices put down by ones culture and/or community…but hey, why not try out something different this Christmas? A change is as good as a rest, so they say. I have a suggestion, why not toy with the idea of mountain climbing as this is something most of us hardly do. One can decide to go solo or with a group of friends, if you ask me, I prefer the latter as you get to have more fun especially if you are an extroverted kind of person.

So you may wonder and ask yourself which mountain in East Africa to climb! Without a doubt, Mount Kilimanjaro is the most climbed mountain in East Africa. What people don’t know is that there are also other mountains to explore, say Mount Kenya. Mount Kenya is one mountain one can never regret having climbed especially with its scenery which is very spectacular to say the least. Despite the fatigue and all other things that come with it, one gets to enjoy so many things while climbing this particular mountain.

Before proceeding with your adventure, you may want to get a travel cover for yourself which will ensure that the best first aid is administered to you and that you are airlifted to a hospital in case of any impromptu accidents. The Flying Doctors Society of Africa (FDSA) provides you with this travel cover. So please sign up for our travel cover and let us deal with the unexpected. Happy travels! Happy Holidays!

Planning an African safari is not an easy thing (at least not for me) and so, one might find themselves between a rock and a hard place especially if it involves two or more countries. For instance, let’s say you want to do a safari that involves visiting destinations that are located in two different countries say Kenya and Tanzania-am using these two countries as an example since they are the ones I have managed to tour in a single safari. Well, why not look for safari tours that visit both Kenya and Tanzania? This way, you will be able to kill many birds with a single stone! Plus, you are sure to find not only an ideal safari, but also that which will not exert too much weight on your wallet.

There are so many things one can enjoy while exploring Kenya and Tanzania. Usually, rather in my case, the safari departed Nairobi and the first stop was at the Masai Mara National reserve, commonly known to the locals as “The Mara”. In all honesty, I was amazed by this particular place-never knew it was such an intriguing place to be at. Just a sneak peek, Masai Mara is a large game reserve in South-Western Kenya which is marked by circles of trees, cloud shadows, savannas and scrubs. Here is where you will get a chance to witness the annual migration of wildebeest, zebra and Thomson’s gazelle which normally takes place between the months of July and October. I put it to you that this particular place is worth visiting, so why not mark it in your calendar and give it a try!

The next destination after Masai Mara was Lake Nakuru National Park then Amboseli National Park and finally Tanzania. The places I would recommend you visit in Tanzania are: Lake Manyara National Park, Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro crater which is full of wildlife. Did I mention that I had a bird’s eye-view of Mount Kilimanjaro’s snowy peaks? Oh yes I did, and it was spectacular! Guess if am to visit Tanzania again, then Mount Kilimanjaro would be my first destination.

Finally, we all need travel covers…just to be on the safe side while doing our travels. Flying Doctors Society of Africa provides you with this. Please click here to see the various membership packages.

Malindi has a number of historical sites such as Malindi old town, Gedi ruins etc, which are places worth visiting. Ever heard of dhow trips? Well, don’t worry if this sounds new to you because it did sound new to me as well, but that was before I visited Malindi…now I know better. A dhow is a traditional Arab sailing ship entirely made of wood, which has plied the waters of the East African Coast for more than a thousand years now. Its main purpose was to transport carpets and other goods between India and Africa. You need to check this out and while you are at it, you could do some sightseeing, have lunch or dinner cruises and also enjoy entertainment that includes limbo dancers, acrobats, fire-eaters just to mention a few…sounds fun huh!

Fishermen in Malindi, Kenya struggle to control a dhow

Everyone if not all love the beach, a place where you could relax and just do nothing or enjoy some “me” time or have fun with your friends and family…it all trickles down to enjoying yourself and having peace of mind! Who wouldn’t like this!?! Well, if this is what you are looking for then visit the different beaches in Malindi.

Last but not least, you need to visit the Marine National Park…this particular place is outstanding. The park is located to the south of Malindi town. What’s the hullabaloo all about? You ask yourself. Well, let’s just say Marine National Park is one of a kind as its gifted with fringing reefs, mangroves, high fish diversity, marine mammals…the list is endless.

A beach at Marine National Park, photo by Filip Lachowski

There are so many things about Malindi I would love to say! But trust me if I did, you will never get to hear (or should I say read) the end of it. So why don’t you just plan your travels and go experience all that I have mentioned, and even more.

Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

There are a number of things one can do while doing their travels in Africa, ranging from backpacking, culinary tours, going on safari, lazing on the beach, mountain climbing, just to mention a few. You can never miss something interesting to engage in, something that would make your stay much more fun and enjoyable.

If mountain climbing tickles your fancy, then visiting Mt. Kilimanjaro is something you should consider factoring into your radar screen. Mt. Kilimanjaro which is in Tanzania, is the highest mountain in Africa at 5,895 metres above sea level. It’s made up of three distinct volcanic cones namely Mawenzi, Shira and Kibo. However, before one can climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, it’s advisable to undertake apt research and also ensure that you are well equipped and physically capable as well-maybe it’s at this point you should start thinking of a travel insurance for your travels… Anyway, other mountains that offer adventurous climbing opportunities are Mt. Kenya, Mt. Elgon and Mt. Longonot all of which are found in Kenya.

Another very interesting thing you should have in your diary is going on a safari. Safari is a Swahili word meaning “to journey”. Many are times we tend to work ourselves to an early grave, without rest! Am sure whoever coined the phrase “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”, had a very good reason for this. Everyone needs a break from their normal and busy schedule, otherwise you might just have a full fledged melt down. Put your work and life stresses on the back burner for a bit and just have fun. And, there’s no better way of doing this other than going on a wildlife safari. Some of the very intriguing things you may happen upon are the “Big Five”, the great annual migration of wildebeest etc. Which makes me wonder, does one really need travel insurance for their travels?

Yes! We all do need a travel cover as you never know what might happen to you while you are on transit. The Flying Doctors Society of Africa provides travel cover for everyone living and/or traveling within East Africa. Membership to the Flying Doctors Society is open to all, and there are four membership packages one can choose from. To learn more about the different packages, visit our member section

We have travel cover plans that meet the specific needs of travelers within East Africa. The four membership package groups we have are:
• Annual (East Africa) – which covers the whole of East Africa and this includes Rwanda and Burundi for twelve months
• Short stay (East Africa) – which covers the whole of East Africa including Rwanda and Burundi for up to to months
• Short stay (Kenya and Northern Tanzania) – this covers a radius of 500KM from Nairobi for up to two months
• Annual (Kenya and Northern Tanzania) – this covers a radius of 500KM from Nairobi for twelve months

We are not biased and so membership to the Flying Doctors Society is open to every individual regardless, especially those traveling and living within East Africa. It doesn’t matter what reason there is behind your travels, because FDSA will always be at your rescue whenever you need them. You could be on a business trip, leisure or on safari just to mention a few.

As much as no one is comfortable with the idea of them falling sick or getting involved in some kind of accident while traveling, still this is something each one of us should plan for, and this is for our own sake and that of our loved ones as well. Therefore, a travel cover is something worth considering as you never know what might happen to you while doing your travels.