MTRH Celebrates Inaugural Norma N. Gill Day

Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) celebrated the first Norma N. Gill Day on 26th June 2024 to honour the founder of enterostomal therapy nursing.

Norma N. Gill, born in Ohio in 1920, pioneered the specialty of caring for patients with ostomies – surgically created openings for the drainage of bodily waste. As an ostomate herself, she started the Cleveland Ostomy Association in the 1960s to provide education and support for those living with ostomies.

MTRH successfully operates over 200 Ostomy patients annually, 75 percent being children.

The event, organized by the Wound Continence and Enterostomal Therapy Nurses Chapter of the National Nurses Association of Kenya, acknowledged the critical role these nurses play in supporting patients with chronic wounds, incontinence, and ostomies.

MTRH Nurses led by the Deputy Director Nursing Services, Margaret Mungai visited adult and pediatric ostomates, providing care, education, and gifts.

The day is commemorated to raise awareness about the challenges faced by ostomates, reduce stigma, advocate for family/ social support and call on health leaders to invest in training specialized wound, continence, and ostomy nursing. Providing this support is crucial for improving quality of life and achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).